Gene Watson: CMP Album Reviews
Gene Watson has been singing professionally since the late 1950s & has been
a country music (album) recording artist since the late 1960s.
Gene Watson steps into a recording studio and, like a great chef, uses the
perfect ingredients to create an aural feast. When Gene Watson takes a step
behind the microphone, magic happens.
Gene Watson's contribution to the country music genre is immeasurable and it
is here that you have an opportunity to read a review of Gene Watson's 'Reflections
& Should I Come Home' (Hux Records,
2009), as published in the
March 2009
issue of Country Music People.
Country Music People is the United Kingdom's No. 1 Award Winning Country
Music Magazine, and was the recipient of the Country Music Association's
2003 Wesley Rose International Achievement Award.
Country Music People was first published in 1970 and protects its integrity
fiercely. The magazine has always brought its readers detailed, honest
record reviews untainted by advertising considerations, as well as genuine
interviews with country stars that are not faked from interview discs sent
out by publicists and record labels.
Country Music People have
long ago nailed its colours to the mast where Gene Watson is concerned.
The magazine has rigorously championed Gene's cause down through the years
and have published a number of reviews of his album releases.
'Reflections & Should I Come Home' (Hux Records, 2009)
This CMP review by Duncan Warwick, which was published in the March 2009 issue
of Country Music People, is reproduced here with the kind permission of the
publishers.
Album Review by Duncan Warwick
CD of the Month (***** out of 5)
'Gene Watson has always been nothing less than excellent, and always
country. The hits began in 1975 and
Hux Records
have been issuing digitally
re-mastered two-on-one CDs in chronological order over the last few years.
This one is number three (and therefore Watson's
fifth
and sixth
albums -
originally released in 1978 and 1979 respectively).
With a 40+ year career Gene Watson has long been a big favourite of all at
CMP, but sometimes it takes a re-issue like this to remind us just how great
he really is, and how influential these early Watson albums have been on
artists of the next generation like Strait and Jackson.
Sounding timeless, the only thing that hints these weren't recorded last
year are the sometimes cheesy Nashville Edition backing vocals on some of
the tracks. Some many of these recordings have become classics, most
notably, 'Farewell party' and 'Should I come home (or should I go crazy)',
which are permanently etched into the consciousness of any country fan (even
relatively new ones) and have literally never sounded better.
The other tracks here which were hit singles are 'One sided conversation',
'Pick the Wildwood Flower', 'Nothing sure looked good on you', and the
celebration of infatuation (or real love?) of 'Bedroom ballad'. But the
tracks that never managed a single release are in the same league, most
notably the B. Fischer / Sonny Throckmorton penned 'I don't know how to tell
her (she don't love me anymore)', with a terrific fiddle arrangement and
impeccable heartfelt delivery from Watson, which is surely ripe for a Strait
cover. But then, 'Bedroom ballad', 'The heart of a clown', 'I wonder how it
is in Colorado' and 'For the memories' shouldn't be overlooked either.
Like the Charlie Louvin double header released by
Hux
at the same time, the
booklet has some excellent notes written by
CMP's Jon Philibert, and a great
picture of a bequiffed Watson circa the period. What hits home most of all
is that when these originally came out, in the foolishness of youth I was
buying David Bowie records when I could have been buying these, but it just
goes to make this release even more welcome as a catch-up (or even a
replacement for some old vinyl).
Gene Watson is without doubt one of the finest interpreters of a country
song (George Jones
famously cited him as his 'favourite ballad singer'), and
if you didn't already know that - here's the proof. Now if
Hux
would do the
same for the Cal Smith and Moe Bandy catalogues I would be one happy bunny'.
Duncan Warwick
Country Music People
March 2009
