The album's opener, "Letter to an Angel," shows Nichols's affinity for bluegrass and gospel. "Heaven Help Me" and "Sure Felt Good to Me" play up the Taylor comparison with heaping platefuls of funk that Sweet Baby James hasn't played in many a year. And "Not the Only Man" is the greatest song that Morrison never wrote. Nichols adds a number of textural sonic counterpoints (the Stax-like organ fills of "The Other Side" and "Hold Me Strong," for instance) to give Easy Now a depth and richness that belie its sparse heart and simple presentation. It's further proof of Nichols's impeccable sense of songcraft, arrangement, and historical perspective.