Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses Junky Star

Price: $24.95

Bingham recently won the Oscar and Golden Globe for BEST ORIGINAL SONG for “The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)”, which he co-wrote with multi-Grammy Award-winning producer/musician T-Bone Burnett. The collaboration between Bingham and Burnett developed into a solid artistic relationship during the Crazy Heart recordings, and as a result, Burnett signed on to produce “Junky Star”. All 12 songs on “Junky Star” were written by Bingham and performed by his longtime band The Dead Horses, featuring Matt Smith (drums), Elijah Ford (bass) and Corby Shaub (guitar/mandolin). Burnett created a recording environment that perfectly complimented the themes and textures of Bingham’s reflective songwriting and gravelly voice. The tracks on “Junky Star” range from narratives with vivid imagery (“The Poet”), to introspective confessionals (“Hallelujah”), to bluesy roadhouse stomps (“Direction Of The Wind”) to Sticky Fingers-era Stones (“Depression”). “Yesterday’s Blues” and “Lay My Head On The Rail” showcase Bingham’s gift for writing compelling folk balladry that makes you hang on his every word.

1. The Poet, 2. The Wandering, 3. Strange Feelin' In The Air, 4. Junky Star, 5. Depression, 6. Hallelujah, 7. Yesterday's Blues, 8. Direction Of The Wind, 9. Lay My Head On The Rail, 10. Hard Worn Trail, 11. Self-Righteous Wall, 12. All Choked Up Again. Bonus Track: The Weary Kind