Album Review: Gene Watson – In a Perfect World

This review seems tough, but fair.

“Furthermore, the album is not exactly an unpleasant listen: it’s one of the genre’s greatest vocalists singing some killer songs, and I was tapping my foot and nodding my head throughout. Nonetheless, it’s important to call this collection what it is: a piece of work that’s entirely insignificant on an artistic and commercial level.”

great quote. well done.

I’ve just bought this Gene Watson album and have not stopped listening. This is PURE country music from one of the genres finest country music singers – ever. I also bought your referenced Wagonmaster release. NOT EVEN close. I would like to get my money back on THAT one! And you talk about covers. Just because a guy who can no longer sing due to old age, COVERS a Johnny Cash song does not make it the hip album that the PR spinmeisters want you to believe. Do you work for Porter’s label? You should try really listening to country music for a change. THen you might know a master like Gene Watson when you hear it.

Watson’s label (which has recently released similar albums by David Ball and Confederate Railroad) appears to have established a financial model based on releasing albums of readily recognizable songs performed by readily recognizable — but otherwise unsigned — acts. The sad, sorry fact is that our choice is probably either A.) Gene Watson singing overly familiar covers or B.) Gene Watson not getting to make a record at all.

Matt -Today, I saw it in CountryMusicPeople where it’s the CD of the Month. The critic there wrote “Probably the best album I have heard in 2007″. I’ll have to try to research where else I saw that written but I found this Associated Press critic’s comment (I read it in the San Francisco Chronicle)”Few country singers should dare take on such chestnuts as Merle Haggard’s “Today I Started Loving You Again,” Wynn Stewart’s “Let Me Be the First to Go” or Buck Owens’ “Together Again,” but Watson gives them all a sweet, late-night reading that stands out….(new) gems like “What Was I Thinking?” and “She’s Already Gone” prove Watson can make contemporary songs sound like timeless classics. He’s never sounded better, which is saying something.” Maybe not the best album of 2007 per se, but decidedly a nicer review than your statement of “it’s not worth the money” for which I vehemently disagree with you.
Bottom line: I really appreciate real country music and Gene Watson has delivered just that. I respectfully disagree with your review of the album.

Chris makes a good point about the producer. Marty Stuart turned out to be Porter’s “Rick Rubin” for “Wagonmaster.” While a very good producer, Brent Rowan isn’t gonna be confused with ‘out of the mainstream’ (for country) producers.

As for this record, it’s done remarkably well but I can see where someone would call it the best of 2007 and some, like Matt, wouldn’t be trilled by it.

I think that artistry needs to be appreciated in and of itself. Too many seem to overrate the value of innovation, thinking of it as a goal rather than a means. The concept of innovation is “value-neutral” as innovation can be very bad (think: Hitler, Stalin, Vlad the Impaler) as well as good.

This CD is a clear triumph of the singer’s art. I have WAGONMASTER and it too is good, but this disc will find its way into my changer far more often than the Wagoner disc (and yes I am a Porter Wagoner fan – I have 35 of his vinyl LPs)

I finally got a copy of the CD while up in South Carolina (I couldn’t find a copy anywhere in Orlando) and it turns out my original assessment was correct – 4.5 stars with the lack of any uptempo numbers keeping it from being a 5 star effort. No one sings ballads as well as Gene Watson except possibly Ray Price. The album isn’t innovative, merely excellent