William Clark Green – Watterson Hall
This Texas-native has worked the footlights for over 15 years. This time around, William Clark Green explores more intense themes of standard personal landscapes of love, loss, individualism & life experiences.
The 14 echoes on his 7th LP, Watterson Hall (Drops March 6/Bill Grease Records), were recorded in Nashville, TN & produced by Logan Wall. I’d like to agree with the accolades Mr. Green has received, & probably deserves, but I’ve heard, seen, & been witness to multiple artists with similar successes. Past success doesn’t always translate to current work & doesn’t guarantee a long career aligned with people like Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard & Waylon Jennings.
So, I’ll get my crystal ball dusted off & examine Green’s challenging new songs to determine if William’s time has come. I’m optimistic. Green is not a cookie-cutter country artist. I’ve heard from him before. Opening songs have a pinch of twang but not dangerously thick like the quicksand deep Randy Travis. William starts his set with songs arranged with country, varnished with a rock dalliance (think the late Eddie Rabbit’s “Drivin’ My Life Away.” Crunchy, seething with biting guitar solos & built on a solid foundation. The melodies are fairly typical, but William’s vocals have verve.
The balladry can be saccharine, but some surprisingly are apple pie with cinnamon & whipped cream. Ah — but the explicit “Whole Lotta Lubbock” is something else. Along with ”Let You Go,” both are ass-kicking good. These are not paint-by-numbers country tunes. Clear away those haybales, boys. We need more room so the girls can dance.
Taking a title from Maurice Sendak’s classic book “Where the Wild Things Are,” finds William laid-back but allows his storytelling to play out with precision, poetry & skill. Staying away from the glitz of country cliches & keeping it modestly inspiring. It is, however, rooted in modern-day drama & at times a little much. The guitars at the end sound like they were laid down by the band Boston. That’s creative.
Some songs go by with a sameness that pollutes commercial/mainstream country, but Green’s musicians are competent & he holds the performance together with his voice, percussive beats & guitar whipping notes. “Hawks Don’t Fly With Chickens” separates William from the country pack. Edgy, dark & it rocks with attitude.
Endgame: Don’t expect something as different as Lyle Lovett, John Prine, or Jerry Lee Lewis. But if you want to hear an exciting young artist, William Clark Green comes on like a heavyweight.
Highlights – “Stubborn & Remains,” “Whole Lotta Lubbock,” “Where the Wild Things Are,” “Dear Life,” “Something You Would Die For,” “I Am the Kite,” “Hawks Don’t Fly With Chickens,” “Fight To Love Another Day,” & “Let You Go.”
Color image courtesy of Robert Chavers. CD @ Apple & Amazon + https://www.williamclarkgreen.com/news/new-album-watterson-hall-dropping-march-2026