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Whiskey or God
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Dale Watson Album Review:
Dales Heart Beats for real Country at 2006-04-28
I could write an essay on Dale the man, and how respectfully he treats show-goers (unless you request Sweet Home Alabama - HA)! It seems that all the guys want to have a beer with him and all the gals want to go home with him. But keeping with this recording - MAN! You wont find any artist out there anywhere who is as consistently true to his roots and true to his respect for real country music as this guy. This CD is superb and I feel might be his best work yet. Its so very hard to top some of his previous releases, but if you were to mix a sampler of his music, many cuts from this CD would be at the top of the list. Dale is always primed for a great truckin tune, and No Help Wanted tops most of the songs from The Truckin Sessions CD. The way the instrumental arrangements are constructed on this CD invokes howls of Ray Price, Merle Haggard, and even Gary Stewart, but make no mistake, Dale Watson is very clearly defined by his voice, his storytelling, and the way his passion for real country music permeates the eardrums. I would recommend this CD to anyone who yearns for the real stuff. Its a genuine remedy for the Nashville rash.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Again, A Topnotch Album. at 2006-04-25
Everytime Dale cuts a new CD I think this is the best one yet. This time with Whiskey Or God hes really outdone himself. There is not one bad song on this CD. I got a chuckle on the cut Truckin Queen. This whole CD is based on Wine, women and song which is right up my alley. A must get CD for Dale Watson fans and/or hardcore country fans. This by far is one of the best CDs Ive bought in a long time Very well worth the price and more. You Will definately not regret buying this CD. Thanks again Dale and I sure hope youre NOT giving up writing and recording music. Youre the best out there. One more great CD to add to my collection. Keep up the good work. Guitar Bob Labbe Lawton, Ok.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Dale is the last Real Deal at 2006-07-28
Whiskey Or God is the leftover material from many earlier albums, but you would never know it given the strength of the songs. Only the variety of sounds will give you a clue to this. Once you hear Whiskey Or God you will thirst for all the earlier albums. It is a great samplier that stands on its own. Check it out and plan a trip to Austin, Texas to see the Real Deal live!!
Dale Watson Album Review:
Real Country at 2006-07-09
Dale Watson is a classic country musician who takes you back to the days before Country became pop music, artfully conceived and brilliantly executed. And AMAZING live.
Dale Watson Album Review:
That WHISKEY-Flavored Voice Is A Gift From GOD at 2006-06-09
Having followed Dale Watson for just his last three releases - starting with 2001s heart-rending EVERY SONG I WRITE IS FOR YOU, thru his upbeat Christmas disc and, finally, his bouyant 2004 effort, DREAMLAND - I may not be as qualified as some of the other reviewers who have posted their thoughts when it comes to deciding if this is his best lbum ever, but I know what I like, and I like Dale Watson! He truly is an original....theres a simple honesty to his lyrics and a unique blend of studly manliness and aching vulnerability to his vocals. That said, do I consider his latest WHISKEY OR GOD (retitled from the European HEEAH!! version) his best release yet? No, I dont; to me, theres an overall sense of filler to much of the disc, like a lot of these songs are exactly what Watson himself said they are...old songs that never made it on to other albums. Mind you, the CD is still very enjoyable....Im just holding it against what I consider to be the VERY high standards of ...YOU and DREAMLAND. Things kick off with the lilting Sit And Drink And Cry. Awash with pedal steel guitar and fiddle, Watsons confessional lead vocal is miserably upbeat - if such a thing is possible! - dancing over lyrics about how the world around you continues on, even after yours has come crashing down. A perfect album opener! Theres a little more steel in Watsons vocal on the discs title track, as he paints a picture of a man at the end of his rope, a man who knows he can only be saved by faith....or fluid. This is classic country, something you wont hear (sadly!) on todays radio playlists. Ditto I Dont Feel Lucky Today.....this swinging, swaying gem could easily be from the late 50s/early 60s (In fact, upon my first listen, my first thought was Man, Patsy Cline would have NAILED that song!). Watsons vocal is silky smooth, while Don Don Pawlaks pedal steel fills are once again perfectly placed. No Help Wanted is upbeat and pleasant enough, but it also seems some what dated and forced, like Watsons going for an everyman image that hes moved beyond and/or outgrown. For me, this is definitely one of the songs that scream FILLER! Not so My Heart Is Yours (Hell And Back), WHISKEY OR GODs emotional core. Based on its almost naked intensity and vulnerability, I would wager this is an outtake from the EVERY SONG....sessions. Whether thats the case or not, Id have to say its the Gods honest truth that this is one of Watsons Top Five all-time best songs! Wrapped up in a gorgeous, understated arrangement thats just drippping with emotion, Watsons vocal is honest and unadorned. Said vocal is perfectly suited for the tracks achingly raw, just-below-the-surface lyrics: Its easy to see girl/It still aint that strong/Its barely beating from being/Beaten for so long/Its been through hell and back/Its been broken and showing cracks/But its yours, my heart is yours. Stick that in your Stetson, Tim Chesney! Almost as good is the country swing of It Hurts So Good. This tale of a one night stand - and paying the price in the morning (Faking love/Faking romance/Doing things could be lovers think they should/Well get lost in the moment/Regrets come in the morning/Itll hurt tomorrow/But tonight itll hurt so good)- practically twirls you around the dance floor, and the proverbial wink-and-nudge in Watsons voice is absolutely infectious. Yep, another winner! Truckin Queen is fun in a Jim Stafford, novelty song kind of way, but its charms (and silliness) starts to wear thin after repeated listens. Once again, filler. Things rebound nicely with the easy-going, easy-flowing Darlin Look At Me Now. Musically crisp, lyrically smart, yet vague, you cant help but wonder....is the storyteller in a bar....or an asylum?!? Love can be a one way ticket to either destination! Capping the track off is a sterling lead vocal from Watson. I also really like Crazy Again, a stripped-down, bare-bones weeper. Punctuated by Jon Blondells muted trombone, this tale of insanity (You know they say I went crazy/And by crazy I mean mentally insane) is both captivating and heart-breaking. In a hushed, almost lazy, vocal, Watson makes a strong case for holding on to said insanity; it allows you to keep the present at bay, living in a past without pain, where there was no hurting. This is Watson at his best, another of WHISKEY OR GODs high points. I Aint Been Right, Since Ive Been Left has a glorious bayou groove to it, all Cajun fiddles and swampy energy. Watsons vocal is freer and less guarded than usual, which only adds to the party vibe. This style, along with the sexy TexMex of Tequila And Teardrops (dig those horns!), is something Watson should play around with more on future releases. Two more winners! 38..21..34 is another cute novelty song, albeit stronger than the others. Featuring some killer understated barroom piano and a sassy lead vocal, this track is fun, fun, fun, plain and simple! Outta Luck is classic Dale Watson (Im sure just about everyone would question the line Outta date, out of my prime, though!), while the discs closer, Heeah!!, is a novelty song with a point...that we all become our parents or, worse, the old man who lived down the road! So, all in all, while I personally dont consider WHISKEY OR GOD to be Dale Watsons best release, Ill gladly get on the bandwagon of fans who say its a welcomed addition to an already strong body of work! Oh....one last thing...I would have also kept the original European artwork. For me, the jeans, leather vest and black boots-clad Watson a top his bike is much more the person I hear singing these songs than the buttoned-up, uncomfortable-looking Watson pictured on the US release. But, once again, just my opinion! (As with all my reviews, Im giving the disc an extra half a star for including the lyrics)
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Dreamland
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Dale Watson Album Review:
Thank Gawd (for us) hes 30 years too late! at 2005-08-24
Dale Watson has giftwrapped the feel of the past with the genius of who he is today in Dreamland. You can start by comparing him to Merle Haggard, but you would be ill served to stop there. He takes all the best of Merle, Charley Pride, George Jones, and all the rest, but mixes it up with who he is as a songwriter, and most importantly -- a singer -- with few peers today. This is country crooning that hasnt been touched in over a quarter century.So that all explains why Dale kicks it, but the album itself is so crammed full of country goodness it makes my head spin every time I put it on. You can smell the beer-soaked bar coasters in every tune and wish on Leftys grave you were looking up from your suds to lock eyes with a halter-topped honkey-tonk honey during every steel guitar break.My prescription for heartache, love-sickness, or just an ordinary Friday night is a half-dozen listens of Dreamland, a 12-pack of Rolling Rock, and a lady who loves to two-step. Enjoy, and I challenge you not to smile from eartip to eartip.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Help Save Country Music at 2004-10-06
Dreamland is Dales best album in many years, and my personal favorite since Cheatin Heart Attack. If youve given up on country music because of the loathsome dreck thats coming out of Nashvegas these days, this album will bring you back into the fold. Dale Watson plays country music the way it should be played--honest, real, and loaded with tradition. This *is* your fathers country music, and thats a good thing if you like Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Webb Pierce, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Ernest Tubb, George Jones, and all the other honky-tonk heroes of the early 60s. Dale Watson is one of a handful of artists (Wayne Hancock also comes to mind) who are truly dedicated to preserving the roots of country music.You should absolutely buy this album and, if at all possible, see Dale Watson play live. But I would also urge you to then take that extra step and convert those around you who have strayed. You know who Im talking about: your friend who went to see Kenny no-sleeves Chesney play at the County Fair, the guy you work with who shelled out $85 to take his girlfriend to see Tim McGraw at the megadome, the lady stopped at the traffic light with Shania Twain cranked up on the radio of her Suburban, the moron who *still* sings several verses of Friends in Low Places when hes had a few too many. These people are sick and they need help. This album is the perfect tonic for what ails them.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Watsons strongest LP to date at 2004-10-03
With Asleep at the Wheels Ray Benson helping crystallize his honky-tonk roots, Watsons turned out his strongest album to date. There are moments, like the cyclic front-line beat of Never Ever, that show Bensons swing influence, but mostly the producer just sharpens Watsons twangy guitar and two-steppin rhythms, and deftly places the singers baritone amid classic lines of fiddle and steel.Watsons new songs (he wrote or co-wrote all twelve tracks) take in the shuffles and ballads of Ray Price, south-of-the-border tinged Bakersfield twang, blues and even bluegrass. He no longer bashes Nashville in words, finding more pointed criticism in the traditional country music idiom: lyrics of love lost and taken away and the occasional bar-side celebration, intertwined with the cries of guitar, steel and fiddle.Its nothing new for Watson, whos long championed these sounds, but the alchemy brought to bear by his producer moves these recordings to the next level. The phased guitars and swelling steel lines of Dreamland add a dreamy quality to Watsons nocturnal memory of his late fiancýe, and the bluegrass harmonies of Fox on the Run and Pretty Girls showcase Watson in a new, lighter setting. Together with more traditional honky-tonk tunes, this is sure to greatly please Watsons fans and attract some new converts.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Out Of The Darkness And Into The Light at 2004-08-20
Having just discovered Dale Watson and his unique brand of Texas twang with his last release, 2001s heart-rendering EVERY SONG I WRITE IS FOR YOU, I was anxious to hear what he would do next. Well, DREAMLAND certainly doesnt disappoint! Many of the same elements that made EVERY SONG... so strong can still be found on the new disc - the uncluttered arrangements, the super-studly voice - but the vibe is totally different. This time around, the somber has been exchanged for the swingin. Opening up the disc is the gently swaying groove of Honky Tonkers Dont Cry. With equal parts tasty guitar, fiddle and piano, the track puts you in an instant good-time mind set, one that grabs you tightly throughout the rest of the album, refusing to let go! Awesome! Things are kicked up another notch with the swaggering Aint A Cow In Texas. Once again, the instrumentation is spot-on perfect, and a couple of Watsons ad-libs (Yeah...RIGHT!, Yeah, you KNOW ya love me, darlin!) make it clear what a good time hes having! Next up is the sweetly romantic Love At First Sight. Few men could sing such a basic, almost borderline sappy, song, but Watson delivers it in such an honest, unaffected manner that you cant help but love it! I Wish Youd Come Around is a tad bit melodramatic, but Watson lays down the track in a genuinely honest manner, resulting in a true classic country cut. Things take a 180 degree turn with the swinging California Wine. With wailing pedal steel, jaunty fiddle work and tinkling ivorys, the cut just dances out of the speakers. Add a totally authoritative lead vocal and you have one of DREAMLANDs best tracks! Another gem is the high-energy Never Ever. With an instrumental track that just makes you want to dance and universally relatable lyrics (Were in this thing together/So together well get burned/I guess well never ever/Never ever learn), the song allows the many sides of Dale Watson - tough, tender, forlorn, hopeful - to shine thru and, in so doing, come up with some great music. The discs title track is a sweeping ballad that features a soaring lead vocal from Watson. As the music lifts you out of your chair, transporting you to a place where dancing among the clouds doesnt seem all that far-fetched, you cant help but be moved when Watson lets us know that Here in the real world/I do alright/Eventhough youre not around. Fox On The Run (no, not the Sweet classic!) is a back porch, toe-tapping rave-up. Watsons strong lead vocal is beautifully augmented by pitch perfect harmony vocals, courtesy of Ricky Davis and Billy Donahue. Theres a swagger to Way Down Texas Way that some might find over the top, but if you just kick back and really let its sexy sensuality sink in, youll realize the songs (to quote the Beach Boys!)Fun! Fun! Fun! Theres an aching quality to the lovely She Dont Care that is simply heart-breaking. One of those songs where everything comes together - a beautiful vocal, great arrangement, smart lyrics (Well, a phone that doesnt ring/Makes a deafening noise) - She Dont Care is, without a doubt, one of DREAMLANDs key tracks. I Dont Rock No Cradle has a great country swing vibe going on, while the discs closer, Pretty Girls, ends things on an energetic high note. Once again, the tracks focal point is Watsons absolutely amazing lead vocal...why someone with such an incredible voice isnt bigger than he is is beyond me! Finally, as per all my 2004 release reviews, I do have to dock the disc half a star for not including the lyrics. But thats a minor point...do yourself a favor and visit DREAMLAND tonight!
Dale Watson Album Review:
How much steel guitar and fiddle can one take? at 2004-07-02
Speaking for myself, an absolute ton, and I get it all on this CD. The musicianship is utterly fantastic throughout and background vocals are just that, background. Theres none of the pop-sounding, over-harmonized vocals on this or any other Dale Watson album. I find it difficult to provide even a short list of favorite tracks let alone a single favorite. Like other reviewers, I think I Wish Youd Come Around is great. The meandering steel guitar throughout She Dont Care-- which it seems should really be called, You Dont Care-blends beautifully with Dales vocals. Aint a Cow in Texas and Love At First Site are just plain fun to listen to and sing along with. Thanks for another great country album, Dale.
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Live in London...England!
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Dale Watson Album Review:
Dale Watson Live - Honky Tonk From One Of The Best at 2002-07-13
Dale Watson fans waiting for new material should be fairly pleased with this release - the the majority of the album is new work, some self penned and some classic covers, along with previously recorded songs included here and there. .Highlights from the new material, for me are: Cant Be Satisfied, Aint That Livin, In The Jailhouse, Mamas Hungry Eyes, Bright Lights, Heart Of Stone, Turn Off The Jukebox, Break Your Own Heart and No Fussin, No Cussin. The only real clunker is Country My Ass - Dale IS preachin to the choir here, but the sermon is getting a bit long - hes already made his point about the sad state of todays mainstream country on his earlier songs, Real Country Song and Nashville Rash. He should have left it at that and saved the bitchin for the liner notes.This album isnt nearly as good as his first four - but that said, Dale Watson Live in London is still well worth a listen.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Domestic issue of barbwire-sharp UK live set at 2002-07-25
Recorded live in London in 2000, and originally released in Europe as a double CD, Audiums single disc is remastered from the original 24-track tapes, providing a half-dozen titles not present on the earlier issue. Particularly noticeable are the addition of A Real Country Song and Nashville Rash, adding extra gravitas to the shows critique of mainstream country music.Having been recorded two years ago, these tracks presents a snapshot of Watson before the death of his finacýe, his subsequent depression, and the musical exposition of his Every Song I Write For You CD. Recent interviews find Watson letting go of the stridency and anger that dominated songs like Country My Ass (as well as some of the stage patter), suggesting that explicit railing at the music industry may not be Watsons future.The nineteen selections (nearly 70 minutes) include new titles, highlights from Watsons catalog, and cornerstone covers of Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Wynn Stewart and Jimmie Rodgers (by way of Webb Pierce). Welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd, Watson and the band are in fine form as they move from Ray Prices jazzy steel guitar showcase, Bright Lights and Blonde Haired Women to the loping tempo of Cant Be Satisfied and two-step rhythms of Turn Off the Jukebox and Break Your Own Heart.The barbwire criticisms of contemporary country are certainly entertaining, and the homages to influences are heartfelt, but its Watsons own twangy, Texas-bred songs that drive his point all the way home.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Explicitly Hardcore Country Music. at 2002-08-17
Thats how Dale describes his own music. He further goes on to state, The music in this show contains lyrics about honky tonks, truck driving men, drink, cheatin, and other topics considered to be too provocative for todays candy-... Country Music. Hes right. This is REAL country music. This is the way country music is supposed to sound. Dale Watson isnt retro, hes not a throwback -- hes simply carrying on the fiery torch of pure country music as it was carried by Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and Merle Haggard. Dale is, of course, far too country for country radio; his first single release from this album, Country My @$$, has been unilaterally turned down by them (wonder why?). But Dale is more than just a banner for the survival of real country music -- Dale is a powerhouse of talent, a thundering voice, a phenominal writer, and a heck of a great guitar player. His small frame packs country music skill so gigantic it absolutely dwarfs the big names doing their fireworks at arena shows, selling their teenybopper bubblegum with their pecks and abs. Dale doesnt need fireworks -- he entertains with TALENT. This album is a marvelous recording of two live nights in London (where, sadly, hes FAR more popular than he is here in the States). If you love real country music, buy this. Youll order all the rest of his albums before the final track finishes spinning.
Dale Watson Album Review:
(real) country fan at 2005-02-01
this is my favorite cd of dales.this is not for tim mcgraw or kenny chessney fans.this is too country for those people.all of dales cds are great.my second favorite is i hate these songs.i hope this review can help more people discover how awsome dale is.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Solid, kickass country music! at 2002-09-05
I once had the good fortune to see Dale Watson play a show in Glasgow, Scotland, and the intensity and devotion of that UK crowd is ably reflected in this concert album, where the London fans hoot, holler and sing along to a brace of oldies and a slew of new originals. This is Watson in fine form, stripped down and honkytonk as all hell. He takes advantage of the concert album tradition to get a little dirty and cuss some, but mostly this is about Dale and his high-test ... band, who dont mess around for even a note or two. Authenticity is Watsons watchword: he opens the set up with his hick music anthem, A Real Country Song, reprises his version of the Jimmie Rodgers classic In The Jailhouse Now (which was also a highlight of a recent Webb Pierce tribute album), and thumbs his nose at Nashville with Country My Ass... He might not be subtle, but he sure is good. You cant hear solid country playing like this anywhere else but on a Dale Watson album. Highly recommended!
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Best Of The Hightone Years
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Dale Watson Album Review:
True Country Music at 2006-04-03
Dale Watson has become the new Dave Dudley, and its about time someone tried to fill those large shoes. Dale has one of the most straight-forward, no BS, take-it-or-leave-it, voices in a decade, and God Bless him for sticking with it. He has become a favorite with Truckers, and his outstanding selection of songs will instantly bring back memories of Red Sovine, the aforementioned Dudley, early Merle Haggard, and yes, even a taste of Del Reeves. Its impossible not to enjoy his music, and more importantly, this album. There are a number of great songs here, but the stand-out tracks are: Honkiest Tonkiest Beer Joint, I Hate these Songs, and Nashville Rash. If you want country music with nads, then give this one a listen.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Great Guy, Great Tunes at 2004-02-21
This is a great album with great songs from a great guy! His Hightone albums are full of real country songs...as are all his albums. I have had the pleasure of meeting Dale several times at his performances in San Antonio (Floores Country Store and Casbeers) and the surrounding areas. He is a great performer and this album is worth every dime. If you can find his newer live albums....the double Live in London and the US single disc release I recommend those as well.......and everything else he has released.....
Dale Watson Album Review:
This cd is REAL COUNTRY MUSIC at 2003-03-17
I have just received cd from UPS. Ive played it twice in a row and I just cant believe that there is still someone out there recording REAL COUNTRY MUSIC. The whole cd is great but theres a couple that really stand out for me. Being a country guitarist myself and have played in Nashville Dale hit the nail on the head with Nashville Rash. I especially like Honkiest Tonkiest Beer Joint and Blessed Or Damned. This is a great cd and I plan on getting his other cds. It takes a whole lot to impress me because of my music playing on the road, but Dale Watson impresses me with his writing talent and powerful delivery he has in his voice. Keep up the good work Dale cause you dont have the recognition the others have in Nashville, but youre miles ahead them in my book. This is a must cd for anyone who loves and appreciates Country Music in its truest form. Last but not least, this cd also features some of todays finest musicians, such as Jerry Donahue, Redd Volkaert, Lloyd Maines, and Jimmy Day, to name a few. Fantastic CD Guitar Bob
Dale Watson Album Review:
The Real Deal at 2002-06-27
Tired of the drivel that Nashvilles feeding you? You need Dale Watson. He sings country music the way it still should be -- COUNTRY. He doesnt dress it up or dumb it down. Hes as harsh, gritty, real, and vicious; yet tender and gentle as country music was always meant to be. Dale sings with a voice that blasts out of his spare frame like a freight train.Love country music? I mean REAL country music? Then buy all of Dales albums. You wont be sorry.
Dale Watson Album Review:
A nice sample but at 2002-01-30
I feel this album is lacking 2 importent cuts South Of RoundrockTexas (Dales tribute to Austin including a video featuring musical buddies) and A Real Country Song which some fans considered their anthem in 1996.If i were just starting to buy his material from this period i would get the 3 full albums.
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Christmas Time in Texas
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Dale Watson Album Review:
Should be a country holiday classic..... at 2003-11-13
In our family, while finishing the last bit of our Thanksgiving pumpkin pie, we have a tradition...its time to bring on the Christmas music. The first CD we always play...and dance around the holiday table to, is Dale Watsons Christmas in Texas. This should be a staple in every die-hard country fans holiday collection. He hits the classics right on, but offers some toe stomping originals such as our favorites Christmas in Vegas, and Christmas Love (which gives a whole new perspective to the joy of giving.) We all love Bing and White Christmas, but try something different...you wont be disappointed.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Excellent traditional country Christmas at 2003-11-09
Right from the start, Dale lets you know what kind of Christmas he wants - a honky tonk Christmas. Except for two old classics (The Christmas song, Silver bells), all the songs are originals - and very good they are too. The style is hardcore country though the prominent upright piano (played by Earl Poole Ball) on several tracks softens it slightly.Christmas love is a superb duet with the brilliant Danni Leigh. Christmas time in Texas is a lovely, slow song that paints a wonderful picture. Santa bring me back has a bluesy edge and sounds like something Elvis could have recorded - I guess that this track was influenced by The King. Christmas without an angel is a typical country song - reflective and slightly sad. To stop you getting down, the next track, Christmas with you, is a rousing, upbeat song. Hot Texas Christmas day, Santa and my semi, Christmas in Vegas and You can call me Nick are all joyful songs of varying styles that will lift the spirits.This is an excellent Christmas album to be treasured by traditional country fans everywhere.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Fabulous Christmas Album at 2001-12-19
Dale Watson has a wonderful, emotional, deep voice and these songs are a delight. I put this album on and just listen over and over...some of the songs like Christmas Time In Texas, Hot Texas Christmas Day and Santa and My Semi sound like they should be classics. Im not in nor from Texas, but it makes me wish I was. Christmas Love is a bouncy, romantic song with Danni Leigh doing a duet with Dale. This is a wonderful album...his voice is perfect.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Best Country Christmas album in my collection at 2001-10-17
Country music is famous for its Christmas albums - most artists record at least one such album in their career, and among those who have recently released second volumes are quality releases by Ricky Van Shelton and George Strait. Christmas In Texas is Dale Watsons first Christmas album and, after listening to these superb recordings, both originals written by Watson and two classic cover versions, he should record a second album whenever he likes. Best known for his uncompromised real country recordings - Cheatin Heart Attack being the best debut release of the 90s - Watson brings a wide range of country stylings to this release, in a marginally softer and more laid-back style than he usually employs, and the results are fantastic. The Texas swing of You Can Call Me Nick, the rollicking Christmas In Vegas (with the song ending in the same way as Elvis Viva Las Vegas, a nice touch) and the romantic Christmas Love are all quality new self-penned songs. He covers the all-time Christmas classic The Christmas Song and produces one of the best versions of this much recorded standard that Ive heard. My pick of the entire album is Christmas Without An Angel, which deserves to become a classic. You wont buy a better Christmas album this year.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Real Country Christmas at 2001-10-16
If, like me, you are fed up with schmaltzy, sentimental so-called Country Christmas albums and want something different - this is it! Mostly original songs, written by the great Honky Tonk master himself, this album ROCKS! Some tracks are funny, others a little sentimental, but theyre all wonderful, like everything else Dale produces. Christmas in Vegas is pure Elvis. Buy it! And do yourself a favour - go see him perform live, hes the best.....
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Every Song I Write Is for You
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Dale Watson Album Review:
This album says it all. at 2001-09-12
A beautiful heartfelt album. It is difficult to describe. For those who have lost their love, this says it all. I love the songs.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Dale bares his soul and sells it at 2001-08-27
This CD is one of the most difficult to evaluate Ive heard this year, maybe in several years. Ive listened to it at least 20 times and I consistently come away with mixed feelings. Certainly anyone who has experienced loss, or even the threat of loss, can relate to most of these songs. I almost lost my wife a year ago and the theme running through this CD tears my heart apart as I put us in the context of Dales and Teresa Lynns situation. However there is a dark shadow over these tunes as I consider that Dale and Teresa Lynn were involved in an illicit relationship, a shadow that diminishes the great potential this CD could have had for universal appeal to those who care about moral rightness. Furthermore Dales sacrilege, particularly in the 3rd and 12th tracks, adds a deeper shadow as he both blames God for his loss and characterizes his lost love as an angel (nothing could be further from the truth given the nature of this relationship). Nonetheless when one overlooks Dales moral flaws this CD is worthy of repeated listening.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Best pure country album released thus far in 2001... at 2001-08-15
I have to admit that upon first hearing this CD it brought tears to my eyes. As pointed out by the previous 2 reviewers, this is truly an amazing piece of work. It is flawless musically and lyrically. All of the songs are, obviously, about loss and its aftermath. I have not heard this much genuine emotion on a CD in many, many years.There are no weak songs on this disc, and thus it is impossible to pick favorites. All of the songs strike a cord deep within the soul. Loss is generic - none of us can avoid it.In this case it was the tragic death of a beloved fiancee. I dont know what else to add -- this CD gets, and deserves, the highest possible rating.Give a listen to any song and you will undoubtedly agree. Then do yourself a favor and order the CD, if not for yourself, then for someone else.This is a keeper that will, or should, live forever in the annals of music, let alone Country music.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Hard to write, looking through tears! at 2001-10-13
Just happened upon this disk. I was fooling around in Wal-Mart and the image on the disk caught my eye. Believe it or not, one of those listening stations was actually working, so I listened to the samples. I bought the disk, and have just finished the first listen. 14 songs and not a cull in the bunch. Ive listened to a lot of music and made a lot of music over many years. This disk ranks among the absolulte best. Good songs, super music, and one of the best voices ever. Do yourself a favor, get this quick!!
Dale Watson Album Review:
A Classic Mix of Heartache and Strength at 2001-09-18
I really didnt know what to expect when I picked up EVERY SONG I WRITE IS FOR YOU, my first purchase from Dale Watsons catalog; Id heard good things about his live show, but that was it. But with it being a slow summer for decent new music, I thought What the heck? With his pompadour and tattoos, the wide leather biker watchbands and tight black tee shirts, I was expecting someone along the rockabilly lines of Brian Setzer or Eric Heatherly or, at the very least, someone with the rockabilly leanings of Billy Burnette or Chris Isaak. Imagine my surprise when, upon my first listen, I realized Watson is much closer to Merle Haggard, George Jones and, yes, even George Strait, with a touch of Asleep At The Wheel tossed in. But there is even more to this CD than its many genre-crossing mysteries - EVERY SONG.... is quite possibly the most nakedly honest CD about the loss of a loved one since Cindy Bullens brilliant SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HEAVEN and EARTH two years ago. And therein lies the CDs key strength.....very few men are willing to open up the way Watson does, and its this equal blend of virility and vulnerability that makes this CD such a winner. The CD has a number of stand-out tracks, the first of which is Youre The Best Part of Me. With its silky swing vibe and soulful steel guitar, this is the word romantic at its best. Just listen to that piano! Hard to believe such a great toe-tapper could be wrapped around such searing lyrics. Next up is Id Deal With The Devil. If there was ever any doubt as to Watsons songwriting ability, this one track would clear it all up. Raw is the only way to describe it....the emotion, the anger, the desperation. Mix that with an instrumental arrangement that always enhances but never overpowers and you have a true country classic. Your Love Im Gonna Miss is also a classic, but for an entirely different reason. With its gentle gate and narrative vocal, the listener almost feels like a fly on the wall, observing just what a powerfully entwined relationship these lovers had. I also love Money Cant Buy Her Love, simply because of its wise philosophy: True love is given, never bought (O.K., the classic honky tonk attitude doesnt hurt either!). Up next is the poignant I See My Future. This understated ballad is both beautiful and chilling in its simplicity. It also shows that one person is not that different from the next, that our paths can all be the same.....if you choose to let them be, for better or for worse. I See My Future would be a great candidate for the centerpiece tune on EVERY SONG I WRITE IS FOR YOU ......if it wasnt for the CDs closing track, the wistful These Things Well Never Do. Equal parts resignation and acceptance, pain and thoughtfulness, the track shows how vital it is to appreciate what you have, cuz it can be snatched out from under you at a moments notice and, though it has to be done, its tough to move on. This is from-the-heart songwriting at its best! Also worth mentioning is the bare-bones honesty of the title track, the slightly sultry yet oh-so-jazzy One More For Her (MAN, this guys voice is smooth!), the south of the boarder flavor of Hey Chico and the lovely Angel In My Dreams. As I said earlier, this is probably the best album centered around loss since 1999s SOMEWHERE BETWEEN HEAVEN and EARTH, Cindy Bullens heartbreaking, yet redemptive, ode about the loss of her daughter. Its rare when artists are so honest, emotional and soul-baring. What more could we, as the listening public, ask for? Not a whole lot.
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People I"ve Known Places
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Dale Watson Album Review:
People and Places You need to know at 2001-04-23
Dale Watson aka The Real Deal, is just that. His unwavering approach to Country music is very refreshing compared to the over produced pop music being labeled as country coming out of Nashville today. Dale and his band The Lonestars are about as talented and friendly a bunch of guys you would ever want to meet, this album Introduces many real people and places, Heck even Cowboy Lloyd Cross has his own website now, Johnny at the Door is a honky tonkin look at a honky-Tonkin bouncer, the pedal guitar by Ricky Davis will have you Yearnin for a stool a cold one. If you Like Texas music this is a must have album.
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The Truckin" Sessions
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Dale Watson Album Review:
Timeless Truckin Music for the Millineum at 1999-10-06
To say that this is the absolute BEST Truckin album of all time, would be both misleading to the general public as well as unfair to Texan Dale Watson. Make no mistake--this IS a Truckin CD of the highest order. Songs like, Good Luck N Good Truckin Tonite, Makin Up Time, and Flat Tire, as well as the remainder of this superb fourth effort by Watson should definitely excite and inspire trucker as well as country music fans. But, labels can mislead the uninitiated casual fan, and those who would never, ever, consider giving a listen to Truck Drivin Music would be missing out on what may possibly be the best pure country music album of 1998 (and 1999, now that I think about it). Folks, Dale Watson is the absolute best Country/Americana/Honky Tonkin and, yes, Truckin artist currently recording in America! Although his musical influences might not necessarily register with most fans today, one need only listen to this CD to hear echoes of Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Dave Dudley, Commander Cody, and many other hard drivin, hard drinking, masters of country-soul. These are songs I guarantee that you will very soon sing along with, whether knocking back the miles delivering a load of Ford-150s to Tuscon, or just traveling down the interstate to visit sweetie. Although every song is a true gem, the personal favorite for this ole boy is, Have You Got It On..... What man hasnt eyed a lovely young thing driving down the interstate and wondered what it would be like to initiate conversation that might lead to...? In this case, shes got the CB..she just doesnt appear to have it on--Come on, come on, come back babe, have you got it on. Winsome, yet touching, it hit a bullseye with this non-trucking romantic. Keep up the good music, Dale...your day in the spotlight will come soon. Until then, youll be the best country performer nobodys heard of.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Dale delivers at 2003-05-29
This album is not only cleverly written (youd think Dale was a truck driver himself!); it is also an upbeat, FUN one to listen to. While ALL songs are good in this one, it picks up the pace even more on the second half of the fourteen songs. For those of us who live here in Austin and are lucky to watch, listen and dance to Dales live show regularly, The Truckin Sessions is a good fix to keep us going until the next show. Even if you dont relate to the trucking experience or are not from Texas (like me), youll enjoy this CD!
Dale Watson Album Review:
Keep On Truckin at 2001-08-09
The Truckin Sessions - Dale Watson Put the pedal to the metal ! After three almost perfect discs on the classy and farsighted Hightone Records, Dale Watson is back with a gear-jammin, double clutchin collection of real country with a truck driving theme aptly called The Truckin Sessions. This guy is almost like a trip back in time, his voice sounding a bit like Ernest Tubbs rich baritone, but hes absolutely on the cutting edge of todays country with a distinct sound miles fom the homogenised ... on the satellite-fed country stations of today. Whether its a tear-jerking ballad or something more rockin, Watson delivers the goods. In the last few years, country music has enjoyed a huge renaissance. Country music today is big,bigger than rock has ever been. Early next year is is expected that Garth Brooks will surpass the Beatles as the biggest selling recording artist of all time (Billy Joel is number three..go figure). Most of these hat acts are basically top 40 with fiddles. Some are downright embarrassing ! And line dancing ? Yikes ! But amidst it all are artists like Dale, Joy Lynn White, and Junior Brown ( who also has a killer new album out). The Lone Stars are a svelte four members including Dale, and let me tell you they lack for nothing at all. Tremendous truckin songs (fourteen of em) are laid out in a nonstop menu of white line fever.From the starter Good Luck And Good Truckin Tonight listeners are treated to an authentic blast of tear jerkin pedal steel, gallopin guitars and Dales full vocals. The arrangements are perfection, as is the sound quality. Those of you lucky enough to have caught Dale Watsons show at the Iron Horse recently, Know that at least some of the acts in country music have iron clad integrity. High points include Big Wheels Keep Rollin, Help Me Joe, Drag Along And Tag Along, and Exit 109. My personal favorite is Im Fixin To Have Me A Breakdown. But, hell, theyre ALL good ! Not just a best kept secret anymore, ... Can this mean a change in direction for country music ? Bet on it !
Dale Watson Album Review:
Breaker 1-9, Dale Watson is the baddest - you copy? at 2000-06-05
It doesnt matter if you dont know anything about trucking. This is real honky-tonk country music. Theres no airbrushing, no poofy hair, no designer cowboy hats, no rewritten 70s California folk rock songs passing themselves off as country. Wussies who dig Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, and other such pale milkweeds are advised to stay away; this stuff will be too strong for your blood. This is country as it was meant to be. Songs about women, coffee, and truckin, dang it. As completely honest and out-of-style as Dales hair-tonic endowed haircut and the tattoo of the state of Texas on his arm. If youre sick of these poseurs with their fake fluffy pop passing themselves off as country, climb into the cab with Dale, fire up, and get rollin, friend. Itll do your heart good.
Dale Watson Album Review:
The perfect country album? at 2001-06-14
Hate country music? Judging by this album, Dale Watson is not too crazy about what passes for country music nowadays either. If youre lookin for over produced, watered down pop songs, MTV style country divas and hair sprayed pretty boys whose last sweat-breaking activity was havin to tune their own guitar (those that actually play) before the CMA awards...Look elsewhere... Dale Watson is the real deal... This is country music like I remember my dad playin for us in the 70s. Dirt under your fingernails, keys hangin from your belt loop. A beer on top of your Fender Twin Reverb... Dave Dudley, Red Sovine, Johnny Cash country music. No flame shirts, no headset microphones, no 110 piece bands, no mechanical bull, John Travolta is not here. What is here, is the voice of Americas workin man. A voice that hasnt been heard for a long time. So long in fact, that hardly anyone, it seems, remembers what that voice is supposed to sound like. Dale Watson remembers. Good Luck N Good Truckin Tonight starts a tear that doesnt end til the last note of I Gotta Get Home To My Baby. The only problem with this album is that its not a double. I cant do justice to Dale Watson by writing a review. If you want to hear what country music is supposed to sound like, order this album. 14 original songs, that are instantly familiar, and a voice that will not let you go. Albums like this are few and far between. Why you cant turn on a country radio station and hear this guy is beyond me. Its a shame that one of the purest voices in country music, real country music, is kept in the background, so that performers with air-brushed promo pictures and with more in common with the Spice Girls than with Lorretta Lynn can be granted a pass to stardom. Legendary radio host Bill Mack says that he considers Dale Watson to be the New Giant... I say, do yourself a favor. Take a trip to the valley of this giant now. Its a trip thats long overdue.
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I Hate These Songs
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Dale Watson Album Review:
Is That You Merle? at 2003-07-07
Wow! When I first heard Dale Watson about a year ago, I thought that Merle had come out with a new song--only this voice sounded younger and better. What an awesome discovery Dale Watson has been. I didnt think anyone sang like this anymore. In a day when all of my country heroes are dying or dead, its great to know this guy is out there writing and playing some awesome songs. Thanks Dale!
Dale Watson Album Review:
Great Country Star!! Love the Voice!! at 2002-05-22
I have all but the new Every Song I Write Is for You, which I just ordered, and I love them all. Dale Watson is a Great Singer, and we love to listen to his songs while traveling to work, on trips, or to the store! I have them in the house and in the car and truck! Keep up the good work Dale! I am sure fans are sorry about his personal losses and are praying for him, and it comes out in his music. God has a plan for us all. So God Bless him. He sings with such true heart and soul.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Whats To Hate? at 2001-08-09
One things for certain, I sure dont hate these songs. Those of you lucky enough to have caught Dale Watsons show at the Iron Horse recently, Know that at least some of the acts in country music arent fluffy hat acts. This guy is almost like a trip back in time but hes absolutely on the cutting edge of todays country. Whether its a tear-jerking ballad or something more rockin, Watson delivers the goods. In the last few years, country music has enjoyed a huge renaissance. Country music today is big,bigger than rock has ever been. Early next year is is expected that Garth Brooks will surpass the Beatles as the biggest selling recording artist of all time. Unfortunately, most of the acts are so trivial and poppish that the true roots of this essential American music are quite obscured. And I have to say that line-dancing is arguably the most embarassing part of being white. Here in The Valley, however we are fortunate to have great clubs and radio shows like the excellent Counry Show on WRSI. So were not chained to the satelite-fed so called country stations. I Hate These Songs is Watsons third release on the classy Hightone label and maybe his best yet. For many, the earmark of good country music is the story told within the song. Theres no shortage of stories here sung in the richest baritone voice around.The band is a svelt four man combo including Dale.Hair Of The Dog, one of my faves, is a hangover anthem that harkens back to early Merle Haggard. The title cut follows and is a classic ballad recalling the names of past songs, something Watson seems to do on all of his albums. Life Is Messy uses the twin guitars sound to great effect and Count On You has an almost Marty Robbins feel to it. The playing and production values are all first rate. My only complaint is that at 43 minutes, its a trifle short though most country albums today seem to be about a half-hour in legnth. This disc pure honky-tonk the likes of which hasnt been heard since the early sixties, and that Dale Watson isnt a superstar by now is a true shame.
Dale Watson Album Review:
A legend to his fans at 2001-08-05
American country radio will play watered-down pop sung by big-voiced females (Martina McBride, Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood) and dull, fake male cowboys (Toby Keith, Lonestar). They wont play this. Even once-popular true country singers such as Mark Chesnutt, Dwight Yoakam and Ricky Van Shelton have been all but struck off radio playlists. This review is not from someone who only listens to indepedent label artists, although the years best album, Rodney Crowells Houston Kid, is on a non-major label. I am a fan of Alan Jackson, George Strait and Brad Paisley. None of these can even begin to approach the genius of Dale Watson. Ive seen Dale three times in concert and his appreciation of the roots of country are as clear as his superb guitar playing and country-to-the-core vocals. His songwriting is also of the highest standard. Its because he wont compromise his style of country - the style that gave Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings decades of success - that hell always be a forgotten figure at CMA awards. Who needs the CMA anyway, when Tim McGraw is named their entertainer of the year?
Dale Watson Album Review:
Most excellent beer-drinkin music! at 2001-08-07
If youve been in the South, particularly TEXAS, this is a set of cuts thatll remind ya of bein there! Im from Bossier Parish, Louisiana, and lived several years in Biloxi MS, and this is MY KINDA MUSIC. Movin groovin, beer-drinkin and hard-drivin kinda music. Dont care if you drive a truck or a Honda (or ride a Harley, like me!) this Watson set-a-cuts will get yer blood flowin, yer feet-a-movin, and yer heart a poundin. Buy it. Do it. Now.
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Blessed or Damned
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Dale Watson Album Review:
One of the best and rarest true country artists around at 1999-09-09
Saw Dale live several years ago, and couldnt get his tunes out of my head. Searched music stores for several days before I found this recording and have played it weekly ever since... Know all the songs by heart now.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Texas telecaster and steel heaven! at 2000-02-23
...and not to mention Dales great songwriting and delivery of his vocals that truly lives up to the billing that occasionally accompanies him the second coming of Merle Haggard. I was born and raised on a steady diet of Haggard, Buck Owens, and Johnny Cash..... and with such a collection of their works, have confidently made the statement on many occasions that Im really not concerned if anyone ever records anything new, as I have all I need. But am here to tell you that Dale has lit my ears like theyve not been lit for a long, long time. A must listen for anyone cut from a passion for Merle and Buck.... Roy Nichols and Don Rich as well!
Dale Watson Album Review:
WOW Good Ol Country Music at 2000-05-26
If you like TRUE country music, this is the album for you! Hes from Texas, and his roots show it, it is the kind of music we are proud to say is from Texas, and it is SUCH a good listen! A must have for any Dale Watson lovers! Surprisingly, a friend of mine from WI turned me on to Dale, and now I just cant get enough of him!
Dale Watson Album Review:
Best of his first Three at 2002-05-22
I thought this was the was the best of his first three I bought, which were Cheatin Heart AttacK, (which I really liked too), I hate these Songs, and this one. This one had some very good songs, and they were great with his voice range, and I just LOVE his voice. I am just a lady in the northern part of Northern Michigan, and love his music, and keep track of his comings and goings, and love to listen to his voice. This was a great tape! I gave it a 5 * rating easily!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Dale Watson Album Review:
Honkiest Tonkiest Beer Joint In Town at 2002-04-06
Great album, great songs, great mucisians. Dale is the best country music artist under 60 years old. Ive been going to see Dale two or three times a month now for about a year and a half w and I had no idea that he had such a big following. If the nashville corporation would every play his music on the radio this guy would do really well. This album or I hate these songs is tied for Dales best. If your ever lucky enough to be in Austin on a Thursday go to Ginnys and see him live and yell out a few titles from this album. Theres just nuthing like it.
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Cheatin" Heart Attack
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Dale Watson Album Review:
Heres the scoop at 2005-10-31
This is a great disc. Dales the definitive honky tonk artist of today, and his debut is just like all of his cds, great. While the majority of todays artists in the country genre have a tendency to move towards the mainstream, this old-school ass-kicker stays true to his roots; and thank God for that. Hightone has finally re-printed this, so it might be the time to pick up this classic.
Dale Watson Album Review:
What country music should be at 2002-10-22
Dale Watson is what country music should be. Twangy guitars, crying steel-pedal guitars and fiddles. This album has all that.Dales voice is one of the richest in country music history. It is a shame that commercial country radio can find no place for real country music.The songs are sometimes fun, sometimes sad, always country. If you long for the day when country music loses its cross-over infatuation (dont hold your breath), buy this CD and play it all the time. Guaranteed not to disappoint.
Dale Watson Album Review:
Country doesnt get any better than this! at 1999-03-05
Every chord, every line is so true, so sincere and so beautifull! Though Ive always loved countrymusic, I now realise I never knew real country music... till Cheatin Heart Attack. Its heartfelt and realistic, without anything to make it look better, sound better or seem better. For this artist, who doesnt want to sell his soul to those major labels, give in to the rocky and poppy side of the new Nashville sound or give up his dreams and ideals for stardom, fortune and millionselling albums it wouldnt be more appropriate to, even after the 4 years that have passed, hit the top at the Billboard 100! His best album ever, but Im still curiously waiting for the follow-up for The Truckin Sessions
Dale Watson Album Review:
DALE WATSON - ESSENTIAL COUNTRY ! at 2001-08-07
If youre into Hard Core Country buy this album! Dale can sing it - and his crack band can play it - better than most! Texas Honky Tonk n Heartache at its best! While Im at it Ill give his next three albums(Blessed Or Damned,I Hate These Songs,The TruckinSessions)5 stars each as well! Hes that good he can even make a whole record of truckin songs that I would put on any essential Country list. If like me, youre sick an tired of mainstream Nashville Country Pop - Dale is the ticket!
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