Album Review – Aaron Watson’s “Unwanted Man”
Aaron Watson might be one of the hardest artists to get a read on in country music. He’s a fiercely independent and principled performer who embodies the DIY Outlaw spirit of the music as much as anyone. Yet Watson also covets many of the sounds and accolades of the mainstream, and incorporates these things into his music to the chagrin of some of his more traditional fans. This has created a career the straddles the cultural divide as opposed to choosing one side or the other, which strangely makes Aaron Watson even more of a maverick than some of the independent artists that shirk the mainstream altogether. Aaron Watson wants to beat the mainstream at their own game.
Back in the mid teens, Aaron Watson reached the very top of mainstream country, with his 2015 album The Underdog going #1, his 2017 album Vaquero going #2, and a single “Outta Style” being willed into the Top 10 on mainstream country radio. But that didn’t last for very long. Music Row doesn’t like outsiders, and after some tweaking in the charts to weigh streams more heavily, and closing the door in Watson’s face on radio, the Texas native was falling back on his support base of the rodeo circuit and Texas honky tonks.
Watson’s 2019 album Red Bandana might have been one of his best, but it only got to #7 on the charts. His 2021 album American Soul seemed an unabashed effort to get back into the good graces of mainstream country, with songs screaming for radio play—very list-like Bro-Country-style compositions that Aaron Watson has always dabbled with, but leaned into especially hard. It didn’t exactly work, and American Soul became Aaron Watson’s worst-selling album in a over a decade.
So now Aaron Watson is back with Unwanted Man, having rattled the cage of Music Row, realizing that apple cart can be upset, but overturning it is another story. It’s best for Aaron Watson to just do Aaron Watson, and let the cards fall where they may. As he says on the second song on this album “Cheap Seats,”
“You finally offered me a seat there at your table, then laughed and pulled the chair right out from under me. And now I aim to se the whole wide world on fire, mixing my music with your words as gasoline. As long as Saturday nights have a honky tonk, and good timing band to keep your boots stompin’, a blacktop where these old bus wheels can roll. As long as lovers keep on loving, dogs die, trucks break down, there’s cheating and drinking you can go ahead and keep your rigged up radio.”
Unwanted Man is a return to classic Aaron Watson—pragmatic, mostly country with mainstream sensibilities, and in this case, a large measure of love songs, which really are the story of the album. “Cheap Seats” is Aaron Watson getting some stuff off his chest about his approach to country music and the twists his career has taken, punctuated by these distorted base bursts that make for a uniquely-textured and infectious track.
Aaron Watson writes all of his own material, and he’s always good for a song or two that hits you right in the feels. That’s what you find with “The Old Man Said” about the last dying conferring of wisdom that is so critical to life. Another song easy to find favor with is “Heck Of A Song,” which similar to “Old Man Said,” reminds you to go out there and live life and make stories as opposed to getting lulled into the passing of everyday events until life has passed you by.
But Unwanted Man really is a collection of love songs in a love album, perhaps to the point where it gets a little tedious and redundant by the end. Love songs can be great when they tell a story and touch on a human emotion. Watson finds that with “Dancing Around The Truth” about a relationship that has met its end, though you still want to take one more positive memory from it before it’s over. “When I See You,” “Unwanted Man,” “One In A Million Girl,” “Nothing On You,” and others take a more generic approach to the country love song where Watson is just obsequiously complimenting his wife in a way that’s difficult to draw any significant meaning from.
Unwanted Man is very much an Aaron Watson album. He can be a little hokey at times, and veer too much into contemporary sounds. But he’s also one of the biggest champions of the independent approach to country, and will write and perform a song that speaks to the beauty of country music more than most. He’ll never be what the most staunch traditionalists and underground fans want. Nor will he upstage that mainstream entirely. But for Aaron Watson fans, he’s the perfect blend of depth and infectiousness, and Unwanted Man will be right down their alley.
1 1/2 Guns Up (7/10)
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Purchase from Aaron Watson
July 5, 2022 @ 8:46 am
I feel like this is kind of who he is, kind of a mixture and that is fine, because I think he is country and their is nothing wrong with having a mainstream feel at times. I have to say this about Aaron Watson outside of this album. The last few times I saw him it seems like from a song perspective he has moved his setlist into songs that line up when he started becoming a bigger name nationally, which I understand when he plays off, but in Texas I think there are a lot of songs he built his career on that he should be playing. Songs like Reckless, Off the Record, 3rd Gear and 17 and San Angelo were some of my early huge favorites. I was shocked none of these were in his setlist and he did about 10 covers. I have not given the new album a spin, but will do so today.
July 5, 2022 @ 9:39 am
I’ve been a huge fan of Aaron Watson since the early 2000’s. His traditional sound and Western swing was something that no one else had. You could hear the start of the song and know, without a doubt, it was his tune coming. He set himself above others and you knew he was different The last few albums though have been some of my least favorite of his. He still has some songs that are good on the albums but I think you hit the nail on the head when you said “ unabashed effort to get back into the good graces of mainstream country, with songs screaming for radio play—very list-like Bro-Country-style compositions that Aaron Watson has always dabbled with, but leaned into especially hard.”
For example, where’s the fiddle on this album? I love how he used to incorporate the fiddle as a main stay in his songs. Now, not so much. I respect everything he has done as a traditional artist and independent. I love that he writes his own music. Just wish he would steer back towards his earlier mid 2000’s sound and bring back the Honky-Tonk Kid sound.
July 5, 2022 @ 10:09 am
Thanks for the backstory on Watson. We covered one of his canceled shows this year when he caught a real bad case of laryngitis. I wasn’t versed on AW songs so I dove into his records and found July in Cheyene . This song is the embodiment of rodeo . Not flashy , just good . I learned that song and played it at the show In his honor . I truly wish him the best and we are grateful for his independence.
July 5, 2022 @ 11:40 am
It is a fair review although I think it worthy of more than 7 out of 10. Maybe an 8! Maybe a little more than that. It is a typical Aaron Watson album. It’s country. He does it his way so at times a little rough around the edges. I am enjoying this album. It’s well worth a listen.
July 6, 2022 @ 5:42 pm
Aaron Watson is a great singer and a really nice person, he is also a family man, very proud of his family. One day they will discover what they have missed.
July 7, 2022 @ 8:11 am
It wasn’t a bad review so not sure what you mean by your response. I think most folks here appreciate AW overall.
July 5, 2022 @ 12:04 pm
I’ll have to “check” it out.
July 5, 2022 @ 12:15 pm
Spot on review! Aaron Watson has a lot to like and you want to pull for him. He is a pretty big deal on the Texas charts so it’s cool he has come to terms with mainstream radio play. Best of luck to him!
July 5, 2022 @ 12:28 pm
For me Unwanted Man is a 8 out of 10.
It’s a typical Aaron Watson album & i’m glad it’s not 20 tracks (like Red Bandana)…because it contained too many fillers.
(Un-)Popular Opinion: Jon Wolfe is (still) releasing better stuff.
July 6, 2022 @ 6:52 am
Jon Wolfe is the man! And I agree his overall output is better than Aaron Watson.
July 5, 2022 @ 1:19 pm
I like Watson but this album was just lyrically boring. Musically, it was fine. Not enough western swing like in his earlier works but I still enjoyed the sound. But it is an album of boyfriend country done Texas style.
I have read the blog he wrote after the death of his baby girl. (I highly recommend it. There are some great stories about his career.) I drew from it that his wife is certainly a wonderful lady. But love songs have been done so much that you have to bring the lyrical A game to stand apart. I am sure these songs made his wife tear up but save them for the bedroom.
I will stick with “Red is the Rose.” It hasn’t been topped yet.
July 5, 2022 @ 2:48 pm
There’s a few tunes on here that are pretty good. “The Old Man Said” stands out. I don’t mind a love song or 3 if they’re done well and not over cheesy like a couple of these. Not sure there’s room for this in the current too crowded with dudes rotation. I think I liked American Soul better. I’ll tell you what I don’t like…….the album cover!!! I know we rarely talk about em but I’m old school and I still love a good album cover or at least one that doesn’t annoy me.
July 5, 2022 @ 6:12 pm
I always thought “Hey Y’all (My Contribution to Ruining Country Music)” was one of the more clever protest/Music Row songs.
“Barbed Wire Halo” and “July and Cheyenne” were standouts from that album.
July 6, 2022 @ 4:48 am
Never been a huge Watson fan, but have always liked him enough to find a good song or two on each album release. This album is pretty much the same for me, though I think it’s his best release in a few years.
July 6, 2022 @ 8:20 am
Spot on review Trigger..
I’ve met Aaron a couple times at shows. He really is a nice guy.
My wife is a bigger fan than me, follows him and his wife, etc. Great family people.
He is what he is.
Not sure if this new album will gain him more fans, but probably will satisfy his die hards.
The production on his albums seems always consistent and great sounding.
July 8, 2022 @ 7:01 am
When I was listening to the album, I kept asking myself where the fiddle went. My favorite country songs are dripping with fiddle and pedal steel guitar. This album had plenty of the latter, but I don’t remember hearing a single fiddle.
July 11, 2022 @ 6:45 am
That means Aaron is CERTAINLY an artist who bears interest. Hopefully,2022 is his time in the Country sun .
July 13, 2022 @ 10:26 am
I give Aaron Watson a ton of credit for fan service: most notably, he plays a nightly 11:00pm free show in Las Vegas every year during the National Finals Rodeo. That’s some dedication!
July 24, 2022 @ 7:25 am
We don’t always agree, Trigger, but it’s a curious coincidence if nothing else that I just finished my review of this album for my blog and while I liked it maybe slightly more than you, in substance we said more or less exactly the same things…