Honky-tonk Christmas, Texas style
Originally released in 2001, Dale Watson’s Christmas album is a true perennial. Not only did he write a batch of great Texas-themed Christmas songs, but he played them in a timeless hard-country style that’s remained remarkably fresh. Watson’s affinity for all things Texas and his alignment with classic country sounds won’t surprise his many fans, as he’s remained staunchly true to these themes throughout his career. Unlike many of his Nashville-based contemporaries, he’s made no effort to accommodate the whims of modern country radio and marketing, nor has he buried himself in snow-themed songs that would fit neither his native Texas, nor the Memphis Sun studio in which he recorded. His two concessions to the classic repertoire, “The Christmas Song†and “Silver Bells†are both fine, but haven’t the original flair of the trucker-themed “Santa and My Semi,†the swinging joy of the Danni Leigh duet “Christmas Love,†or the Elvis-y verve of “Christmas in Vegas.†This is an album with enough twangy guitar, doghouse bass, pedal steel, tinkling piano and shuffling drums to light up a Lonestar at the top of your Christmas tree. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com] 