Customer Reviews

Taste of the Truth

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Prime Cuts: Speaking of an Angel, Staying Together, Use Me Again

When Watson sings "Three minutes at a time I get lost in each song," he is also tacitly voicing what pundits of traditional country will say after hearing these 11 tracks. Offering delicious wallops of tortured stone-cold country ballads, sizzling honky tonk barn burners, and tasty treats of slow romantic waltzes, "Taste of the Truth" will have many salivate for more and more such servings. Under the auspices of helmsman Dirk Johnson, Watson is able to secure 7 new songs coming from Nashville's most prolific scribal community such as Billy Yates, Tim Mensy, Harley Allen, and Rebecca Lynn Howard plus four covers. Avoiding the trite and tried route of tackling often recycled classics, Watson has chosen to cover more obscure tracks such as Merle Haggard's "I Know An Ending," Shelby Lynne and Mark Chesnutt's "Til A Better Memory Comes Along," Tim Mensy's "Wrong Way to Find Mr. Right," and Shawn Camp's "Speaking of an Angel." The latter two are virtually unknown save for the two singer-songwriters' avid fans.

Most anticipated is Watson's duet with current hit maker Trace Adkins "I Got a Pulse." Complimenting Watson's high tenor, Adkins' contrasting base is the perfect blend on the propulsive "I Got a Pulse" in voicing the viability and vitality of traditionalism in the backdrop of today's rock-oriented country market. With a touch of wry humor, Shawn Camp's infectious "Speaking of an Angel" details the mercurial nature of love that bears all of the songwriter's unique phrasings that Watson can't help but imitate from Camp's original. Tim Mensy, one of Watson's favourite writers, gets to pen four cuts here. Best among the quartet of songs is the two-stepper "Three Minutes at a Time," an irresistible ditty that best captures why country music is so addictive in a little over three minutes.

Living up to the album's title, there are some truth-telling paeans that only a courageous veteran like Watson has the guts to handle. Rebecca Lynn Howard's title cut "A Taste of the Truth" is a tortured heartbreaker. While "Staying Together," a duet with Rhonda Vincent, tells the sad story of a couple who no longer love each other, yet they stayed together for their children's sake. Similarly devastating is "Use Me Again," a pensive heart breaking ballad about the victimization of a person to love's entanglements is made even more morose with Alison Krauss' plaintive harmonies. "Til A Better Memory Comes Along," an album track that was both found on Shelby Lynne's and Mark Chesnutt's albums from the 90s, deserves to be dusted and revive again. A slow waltz that features some heart tingling lyrics of hope as well as pain, "Til A Better Memory" would have been a hit in let's say George Strait's hands.

Venerated as one of country music's greatest crooners by Vince Gill, Lee Ann Womack and Joe Nichols, Watson again shows with this CD that such encomium is not mere palaver. When it comes to raw emotions and honest-to-life lyrics, "A Taste of the Truth" has spades of them. In short, "A Taste of Truth" is a delicious foretaste even when the truth sometimes means heart break at its bleakest moments.

Since Amazon has not elected to indicate the selections for this wonderful album, I will:

Gene Watson's album, A Taste of the Truth. Released date August 25, 2009

*Track Listing:

1. Speakin' Of The Angel

2. Taste Of The Truth

3. We've Got A Pulse Feat. Trace Adkins

4. Til A Better Memory Comes Along

5. It's My Lie

6. Staying Together Feat. Rhonda Vincent

7. Three Minutes At A Time

8. Wrong Way To Find Mr. Right

9. Use Me Again

10. Still They Call Me Love

11. I Know An Ending

I loved this album but then I am a long time Gene Watson fan. I have loved him ever since I first heard Fourteen Carat Mind. His voice is so smooth. He makes it sound so effortless. His voice is the same as it was many years ago. Like one of the reviewers said, it's like fine wine. I loved the duet Staying Together with Rhonda Vincent. He had another duet (Together Again) with her on his album In a Perfect World which I loved as well. I highly recommend this album.

This CD along with the song of the title, takes me back several years. I love all the songs and have to say, there is no one any better. Keep more coming and I will certainly buy all of his songs.

This is a very enjoyable CD. Gene Watson is amazing. After all these years, he is still truly a great performer.

Always liked Gene Watson and have all of his CDs; all of them. This is by far his best to date. Every song on this CD is worthy of a listen.

Gene Watson has always been, and still is one of the great country traditionalists. Though not quite as good as some of his other CDs, this one is very good. And anything by Gene is better than most of what passes as country these days.

What a beautifully produced CD. If "REAL COUNTRY MUSIC" is what you're looking for...no need to look further...you've found it! This disc is hands-down superior to nearly anything else that's coming off Nashville's "Music Row" these days and like a fine wine, Gene just seems to keep getting better (if that's possible) as the years roll by. He and his new producer, keyboard and piano-man "Dirk Johnson" managed to knock this one outta-da-park! Absolute thirty-seven minutes of pure fiddle and steel sonic bliss. Whether at home or in the car, this is one CD you will always keep at arms-length. Can't say enough. Now, back to Track One... AGW

Over the years I have collected almost all of Mr. Gene Watson's music and I must say this new CD has to be rated as one of his best. "Staying Together" is a beautifully done duet with Rhonda Vincent. I also love the tearjerkers "Three Minutes At A time" and "Use Me Again". Mr. Watson has not lost any of the fine quality of his voice over the years. Why Nashville and the major record labels have chosen youth over talent is beyond me. This man knows how to sing a country song. I thought so much of this CD I bought an extra copy for my car.

Sometime in life we discover true talent long after its first breath.. In country music some agree Mr. G is the best thing that ever happened to the country. As we stumble upon newer styles of country there really are only a few who actually do 'real' country... Gene has been one of my favorite of the real hard country scene.. There is a dang good reason why he is still sending these gift wrapped cd's these past few years.. When you're 'that' good, you can't be denied your place... I haven't heard a 'bad' Gene Watson song.. I personally think Gene has made some of the best albums of his career, as some might say, at the 'end' of most careers, his has soared with a country clarity that only a veteran could pull off.. The man just keeps going and I'm glad for it!

Highly Recommended



Now all we need are some more of the 'older' albums to get the 'treatment' for rerelease..
Some of his records have never been on the 'newer' cd format.. hahaha..sarcasm,,, but true