Due to the number of labels he’s released albums on, pinning down a definitive number remains a challenge, but it’s safe to estimate Call Me Insane as Dale Watson’s 16th studio album since his emergence in 1995. That’s two decades of songs deeply steeped in traditional country on the subjects of love, honky-tonks, heartaches, beer, faith, trucks, and Texas. Call Me Insane follows the formula with a couple of minor detours. Austin’s answer to Johnny Cash never stops writing, and as with all his discs, this one contains hits, misses, crafty wordplay, and Watson’s bottomless canyon croon. “Everybody’s Somebody in Luckenbach, Texas” brings the bumper sticker to life on a two-step beat, while he also appropriates familiar riffs and rockabilly beats on the George Jones homage “Jonesin’ for Jones.” Then he gets impossibly romantic on “Forever Valentine.” Horns add spice and maximum guitar twang to the title track, which builds to a stunning crescendo that proves Dale Watson’s kind of crazy will never go out of style.
This article appears in June 19 • 2015.