Dale Watson - Carryin' On

Dale Watson - Carryin' On
E1 Entertainment

I've been a big fan of Dale Watson for years and just about got everything he's done. Hell, I even paid twenty quid for a signed CD one at Narberth. Phil laughed his head off but I didn't have a lot of choice after getting him to sign it before asking him how much it was. I think he was still working in dollars which was about 2-to-1 back then. Never mind, I've played it at least three times since!

There was a spell a few years ago when his personal life went belly up with divorce followed by the death of his new lover. He carried on with his music through this difficult period and to be honest, there was such a sadness and desperateness to it, that made it hard to listen to. It was like watching a train wreck.

Things look a bit better for him now and it reflect on this latest effort. In fact, the opener, Carryin' On This Way is as infectious as he's ever sounded. It has a Gentle On My Mind feel to it, and it has the same timeless quality of much of Glen Campbell's best work. The whole album is written by Watson and is beautifully played by a band that includes no less than Lloyd Green, Hargus "Pig" Robbins and Pete Wade.

There's not a bad track but a couple really stand out. I love the breakneck paced, I'll Show You. Heart Of Stone may be his finest ever vocal performance, and vies with the opener for the albums killer track. The closer, Hello, I’m an Old Country Song is a fine piece of writing that shows that his heart still belongs in the days when country records had fiddles and steels.

A great album that confirms that the old Nashville Rasher is back on track.