Dale Watson – The Little Darlin Sessions

For die-hard honky-tonk fans, few things make life worth living more than Dale Watson crooning about how life isnt worth living. On The Little Darlin Sessions, Watson re-creates vintage tears-n-beers numbers from Nashvilles Little Darlin label, with label founder Aubrey Mayhew on board as producer. Also in tow are session sidemen from the day, including Lloyd Green, whose glorious steel guitar saturates each cut. Watsons famous penchant for the anachronistic suits these timeless, and mostly forgotten, tunes perfectly. Just listen to him reel back the years on Groovy Joe Pooveys The Late And Great Me, Mayhews The Pint Of No Return, and titles associated with Johnny Paycheck, including Jukebox Charlie, Apartment #9, If Im Gonna Sink, and Wherever You Are, which suitably closes the disc. The collection makes you wonder why these songs, as well as the singer, are so painfully marginalized.