WILLIE NILE/PLACES I HAVE NEVER BEEN (Columbia CK 44434) Willie Nile remains one of those odd artists who pop up every so often, release a great album, and then disappear again. This, his third album, was released in 1991. His first two albums were released in 1980 & 1981. As of June 1997 there's no word yet on his next release. "Places I Have Never Been" is simply a great rock album that will fit easily into anyone's collection. It's one of the discs that you'll tend to listen to in it's entirety each time you pop it into your player. To put it simply, it's catchy and addictive. From the title track, which opens this set, through the one hit single, "Heaven Help The Lonely", to the clever observations of "Yesterday's Dreams", "Everybody Needs A Hammer", and "Don't Die", which warns celebraties to take care of their health because when they die someone is going to try to make a million dollars by writing a book about them ("No matter if anything in it is true"), this disc entertains. Nile is a great songwriter with a gift for creating catchy hooks in his music. I never understood why this album didn't sell better when it was released, it really is one of those gems that you'll keep handy for repeated listenings. It may be hard to find now but is worth the effort. It's been six years Willie, time to show us another piece of your special genius.