The Day the Earth Stood Still

Background

Upon seeing the deserted streets and boarded up stores of New York City because of COVID-19, Nile was reminded of scenes from the 1951 sci-fi movie The Day the Earth Stood Still. Nile uses the phrase "Klaatu barada nikto" in the chorus of the title track of the album. Drawing from his Covid lockdown experiences, in June 2020, he began writing songs for the album.

A few years earlier, Nile had been introduced to Congressman John Lewis by Nile's friend, Congressman Joe Crowley. Lewis died on July 17, 2020. Nile and Frankie Lee wrote Justice Bell in honor of Lewis and his band recorded it, coincidentally, on January 6, 2021, the day of the United States Capitol attack.

Nile says "Blood on Your Hands" is a song about dancing with the devil. "If you dance with the devil you can get blood on your hands". Nile invited his friend and neighbor Steve Earle to join him on that song.

"Way of the Heart" was recorded in 2009 and brought out as an ending for this album.

Photographer Cristina Arrigoni photographed New York City street performer John Figueroa-Gonzalez for the cover photo and other photos in the album.

Critical reception

Jon Blistein of Rolling Stone says ""Blood on Your Hands" is a steady stomping rock cut that finds Nile and Earle trading searing verses about human nature's more sinister qualities".

John Amen in No Depression: "A project that oozes an ebullient ’70s-rock-and-pop vibe, the 73-year-old delivering some of the more infectious songs of his career".

Richard Marcus from Blogcritics: The Day The Earth Stood Still shows Nile to be as versatile as ever. Equally at home rocking the house down as he is singing an intimate song from behind his piano, he lives up to his reputation as one of the troubadours of our times. This is a great album of timely and intelligent music from a heartfelt and aware songwriter."

Lee Zimmerman from American Songwriter: "The Day The Earth Stood Still easily measures up to every one of Nile's preceding efforts — taut, tough, and tenacious, and driven by sheer grit and gravitas, as well as passion and purpose."

Steve Horowitz in PopMatters says "Nile is a national treasure who brings rock to the masses, and while he may sing about The Day the Earth Stood Still because of the recent pandemic, he's still moving and grooving."

Gene Knapp from Elmore Magazine wrote: "Nile uses his masterful way with words to epitomize the world in its greatness and its fallacies".

Jim Hynes writes in Glide Magazine: "Nile is one of the best combinations of songwriter and rocker we’ve had over the past three decades and his albums seem to get progressively better each time out."

Damian McNairney opines in Folk/Tumble: "Anyone fortunate enough to witness Willie Nile perform live will know that he delivers an energetic show of street smart rock and roll that never fails to leave his audience with a smile on their faces".

New York City reviewer Kevin Korber in Spectrum Culture writes: "The Day the Earth Stood Still can remind us of the kind of power that style can have in the hands of a craftsman like Willie Nile."

Personnel

Musicians

Willie Nile – electric & acoustic guitars, piano, vocals

Jimi K. Bones – electric & acoustic guitars, percussion / loops

Johnny Pisano – bass, backing vocals

Jon Weber – drums, percussion

Andy Burton – Hammond B3, piano, glockenspiel

Steve Earle – vocal on Blood On Your Hands

James Maddock – backing vocals

Joe Crowley – backing vocals

Frankie Lee – backing vocals, percussion

Marc Jonson – backing vocals, piano, tubular bells, glockenspiel

Stewart Smith – electric guitar on Way of The Heart

Steward Lerman – bass on Way of The Heart

Production and additional personnel

Produced by Stewart Lerman and Willie Nile

Executive Producer: Kevin Collins, Rob Steele

Associate Producer: Big Jer LaPorte (for Barry), Mark A. Moore

Engineered and Mixed by James Frazee and Steward Lerman at Hobo Sound, Weehawken, NJ

Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, Edgewater, NJ