http://www.redhouserecords.com
Texas country honky tonker Dale Watson has been relentless in his dedication and development of barroom fashioned country music, and a whole lot more besides. Watson has opened up an exciting new bag of worms on throwing his support of not only his traditional country fare, but also close cousins Texas swing, rockabilly and outlaw music under the banner of Ameripolitan. Wonderful gesture, Dale, one he whole-heartedly believes in and of those performing it today.
Supported by his ace band, His Lone Stars; Don Pawlak (pedal steel), Mike Bernal (drums, percussion) and Chris Crepps (upright bass, backing vocals) plus Lloyd Maines (acoustic guitar, producer), and studio guests Danny Levin (piano) and the Honky tonk Horns; Jon Blondell (trombone), Joey Calarusso (saxophone) and Ricky White (trumpet) Watson immediately gets down to business with “A Day At Time”. Followed soon after by arguably four of his finest on the record. Forlorn and sad “Burden Of The Cross” has Watson perform one of the more and finest melancholy pieces imaginable immediately followed by dance floor delight “Everybody’s Somebody In Luckenbach”; doused in pedal steel, lead guitar and terrific rhythm it’s a good ‘un. “Crocodile Tears” is a tear in your beer ode as he speaks of how the crocodile tears running down her cheek are tearing him apart, and how he hopes someday she’ll love him but the possibility is becoming less each day.
You also have his tribute to one of his biggest heroes George Jones via “Jonesin’ For Jones” and, unlike some people’s play on country greats or otherwise Watson does so in a subtle fashion. Then again isn’t the music of Merle, George, Lefty and Johnny Cash also part of his DNA make-up! Great stuff Dale, the writing of which underlines not only how much he loves the music but his desire to let the whole world know what country music is all about!
As for the title-track “Call Me Insane” it is a sombre affair, a heart-wrenching piece which is okay, but lacks the get-up-and-go feel of the pedal steel (lovely solo) warmed “Heaven’s Gonna Have A Honky Tonk” and breezy Borderland steeped “Tienes Cabeza De Palo” (complete with Mexican cries of delight) and irony filled love song “I Owe It All To You”; this as he speaks of how he won the love of a girl through the failings of another suitor. “Forever Valentine” is not what you expect from Dale, and it doesn’t work like vibrant piece “Hot Dang”. As for Tony Joe White – Leann White’s modest answer song to Waylon (Jennings) and Willie (Nelson) “Mama’s Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys”, “Mamas Don’t Let Your Cowboys Grow Up To Be Babies” did nothing for me, and never will. He would have been advised to have covered the original at least he would have given us a full strength song, or better still a song of the ilk only written by himself; Austin’s king of honky tonk writes better material than this. Some would say by a country mile!
Maurice Hope