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Home / Hawkes Bay Today

Music review: Darren Watson, Too Many Millionaires

By Tony Nielsen
NZME. regionals·
1 May, 2018 02:16 AMQuick Read

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Darren Watson

Darren Watson

The term "unplugged" was fashionable a few years back thanks to a series on MTV, that resulted in a number of career-defining album releases.

Wellington's Darren Watson has adopted this approach for his sixth solo album after a barnstorming career with Chicago Smokeshop.

The acoustic approach really delivers on Too Many Millionaires by creating an inspired opportunity for subtle inter-plays, notably between Watson's guitar and Terry Casey's brilliance on the harmonica.

Watson varies his approach from a swagger to Robert-Johnsonesque slide.

Lyrically the record is strong, with Watson displaying a philosophical bent on Hallelujah (Rich Man's War) and Past Tense, while name-checking blues greats Muddy Waters, Elmore James and Howlin' Wolf on That Guy Could Sing.

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Watson penned all the tracks except for Bill Lake's Too Many Millionaires.

There are no weak songs and my own favourite is Pilgrim with its note-perfect slide playing. Watson apparently rates this as his best album and who am I to disagree. Suggest you shell out now and also catch him live when he comes your way in May.

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