San Angelo (Big Label, 2006)

Amarillo, Texas product Aaron Watson is a cookie-cutter honky-tonk singer with a smooth sound and a hard twang. Despite the catch in his voice - you can almost see the arch in his eyebrow at times - the 13 songs here, 9 written by Watson, lack a real hook.

He throws in a few elements calculated to bring the cowboys a-runnin� - songs by Willie Nelson and Bruce Robison, guitar work by sessions wiz Lloyd Maines and Asleep at the Wheel�s Ray Benson - but nothing terribly original, though. There is, for instance, a Waylon Jennings tribute song, �Except for Jessie.� The most biting thing Watson comes up with to say about country music�s original outlaw, however, is that �his hair was always long and messy� and, of course, the main message: that a woman tamed him. There would be no Waylon Jennings if that had been his pitch.

The best thing here is the Buddy Holly song �True Love Ways,� on which Watson gives in to his tender, aching side. The worst is an accompanying DVD that�s more promotional than musical. (830-626-8359)