Dale Watson - Blessed or Damned

On his second to-the-bone outing, Texan Dale Watson continues his crusade for the resuscitation of the spirits of the sleeping (or ignored) legends of classic C&W. Watson possesses a resonant, honeyed-baritone vocal instrument and seems most at home in early Merle Haggard-styled turf. But this singer-songwriter can also dial up Buck Owens, Faron Young, and countless other titans of the genre without breaking a sweat.

All 14 tracks on Blessed Or Damned were either written or co-written by Watson, but only a fanatic with an encyclopedic memory could swear to it. This cat is the real deal, in spades. A Real Country Song bemoans Nash-rock's desolate radio landscape with inspiring name-checks, and the rest of Watson's tunes swing, weep, two-step, and/or soar with similar, unquestionable commitment.

• Truckin' Man
• Honkiest Tonkiest Beer Joint
• Blessed Or Damned
• Cowboy Lloyd Cross
• A Real Country Song
• Poor Baby
• It's Over Again
• Fly Away
• It's All Behind Us Now
• That's What I Like About Texas
• Everyone Knew But Me
• Sweet Jessie Brown
• Truckstop In La Grange
• Shortcut To The Streets Of Gold