Buddy Miller
"It's hard not to be moved by such a heartfelt record. Great sounding, sweet songs. Sounds like a guy you want to get to know."

Jim Lauderdale
"Mando Saenz follows a rich tradition of Texas' singer songwriters with his own style of writing and singing that is uniquely Mando. I've had the pleasure of sharing the bill with him numerous times and am proud for him with this new record."

Paste Magazine
"(Mando Saenz's) plaintive delivery and knack for sweet melodies are evident from the get-go."

Americanaroots.com
"I haven't been this excited about an album in awhile. Mando Saenz has truly put together a work of art...to me it's a must have."

Bob Strauss,U Daily News
"(Mando Saenz) is something of a Southwestern Bruce Springsteen. His poetic and touching story songs about life's losers, soul-searchers and nostalgic dreamers are emotionally fleshed-out and grounded in real-life details. But they're sung in a haunting, laid-back voice that is all Saenz's own, and although each cut is richly orchestrated, they have a gentle, twangy feel that nicely complements Saenz's sweet, slightly ethereal vocals."

Miles of Music
"Singer/songwriter Mando Saenz sings with the ease of Lyle Lovett but writes from a Steve Earle heart. Mixing heavy and descriptive, yet smoothly poetic lyrics with his easy, laid back delivery, Saenz opens up a richly detailed world of true Texan humanity."

This Is Texas Music
"Mando Saenz is masterful at evoking nostalgia and melancholy in bite-sized, 3 to 4 minute chunks."

Allie Schwartz, Jupiter Index
"Watertown is full of sweet melodies in the tradition of Jeff Buckley's Grace or Rufus Wainwright's Poses. His voice is rich. Saenz is not about throwing surprises at the listener, he is not out to impress you with fancy recording tricks; his music is simple and beautiful and so are his lyrics."

Lee Zimmerman, South Florida's Entertainment News and Views
"Like Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark, two singer/songwriters to whom (Saenz) could be favorably compared, Saenz sings mellow, melodic songs that combine a worldly perspective with an everyman's point of view. The bittersweet ballads that litter Watertown, Saenz's affecting debut album, belie his newcomer status with songs that are so instantly appealing, they seem to have sprung from a musician with a much lengthier resume...Saenz's ability to craft detailed images of a blue-collar landscape rich in character yet sinking in hope makes this an especially poignant offering."

Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle
"Watertown boasts an outstanding array of instantly familiar melodies, anchored by Saenz's intimate, sincere storytelling. Each song is like a family snapshot, shaped by a past that didn't initially include music as a goal."

barnesandnobles.com
"(Mando Saenz’) name will surely soon be synonymous with tasty, lyrical songwriting Texas-style, akin to Townes Van Zandt and Lyle Lovett."