Getting Sober for the End of the World

Finalist Te Kaipuoro Taketake Toa | Best Folk Artist
Aotearoa Music Awards 2021
(Recorded Music New Zealand)

" Getting Sober has such warmth and heart to it. This is Darren’s finest set of recordings. And you need to hear it. "

Simon Sweetman (Off The Tracks)

" It is as unexpected as it is utterly engaging."

Graham Reid (Elsewhere)

“If Ry Cooder had a long-lost New Zealand cousin, it would be Darren Watson. In “Getting Sober For the End of the World”, you can smell the crawfish étouffée bubbling on the stove while a New Orleans first line shuffles and slinks past the window, the lyrics carrying you along with the unifying connection of music and humanity.”

Tami Neilson

“I’m digging Darren Watson’s new song Getting Sober For The End Of The World. Cracks me up. It’s not easy writing catchy tunes that carry a message, but Darren pulls it off easily, singing in his big, soulful voice: ‘...you can hold folks up, you can knock folks down, it matters what we do and what we say.’ Right on!”

Rick Holmstrom (Mavis Staples)

'Darren Watson has written a very appropriate song for these challenging times!'

Martin Phillipps (The Chills)

“ The end of the world is upon us! Master guitarist and vocalist Darren Watson is cleaning up his act with his witty yet deep new single "Getting Sober for the End of the World"! Be warned - party animal or not, you'll find yourself tapping your toes and singing along to this feel-good, apocalyptic-summer-time blues hit. “

Aki Kumar (Bollywood Blues Maestro)

"Darren Watson offers a personal peroration for troubled times, with wry humour, gospel harmonies, street-parade horns and a guitar that walks the blues with a gentle swagger."

Nick Bollinger (Radio NZ)

“Darren Watson’s new single ‘Getting Sober for the End of the World’ sparkles with his usual wit and social commentary all wrapped up in a sassy New Orleans arrangement with his glorious voice sitting like a cherry on top.”

Harry Lyon (Hello Sailor)
credits
released September 25, 2020

All songs written by Darren Watson (C)2020 (APRA/Control) except
Preachin' Blues (Up Jumped The Devil) by Robert Johnson (Handle Bar Music o/b/o Standing Ovation Music)
and Love That I Had by Matt Hay (APRA/Control)

Produced by Darren Watson.
Recorded and mixed by Darren Watson at Lamington Recording, Wellington, Aotearoa between November 2019-July 2020.
Mastered by Mike Gibson at Munki Studios (www.munki.co.nz).
Photography by Clive Copeman (www.copeman.nz).
Artwork by Darren Watson.