Dale Watson,
Whiskey or God



Label: Palo Duro Records

(3 out of 5)

Dale Watson may be spending some time in Baltimore, but a good portion of his heart remains in Austin. Hometown fans gave their favorite honky-tonker a hero's welcome during last month's SXSW, with record turnouts at the Broken Spoke and Ginny's Little Longhorn Saloon, a sold-out show at the Continental Club, and a packed theater for the Crazy Again premiere. With the release of Whiskey or God, fans near and far now have another reason to celebrate.

Watson describes Whiskey or God — already available in Europe under the title Heeah! — as a collection of previously unrecorded fan favorites. Some are real keepers, especially semi-autobiographical numbers "Whiskey or God" (listen), "I Wish I Was Crazy Again" (listen), and "My Heart Is Yours" (listen) — each portraying resiliency in the face of despair. Story-songs work like down-and-out truck driver saga "No Help Wanted" (listen) and the comedic "Truckin' Queen" (listen) work as well.

Hank Williams III once described Watson as the savior of traditional country music. Certainly his voice is as distinctive as any today. If anything fails Whiskey or God, it's the thin instrumentation. There's no intimacy, no soul to the recordings. The sound often seems synthesized and overly digitized, despite the fact Watson recorded with his Lonestars.

Whiskey or God may not be perfect, but it's enough to tie over die-hard fans awaiting Watson's return to Texas sometime later this year. And for newcomers, it serves as a decent introduction to Watson's throwback honky tonk style, as much at home in 1960s Bakersfield as it is in today's Austin.

April 16, 2006