Ryan Bingham must be really blessed to be working with such a versatile producer, T-Bone Burnett, who has also worked on new records with Elton John and Elvis Costello, to be released later this year. Junky Star is the Texan's most edgiest record to date -- it's dark and gritty, his very own Nebraska if you will. The album hits a high note in the title song, where Ryan declares in the first lines:Man come to shake my hand and rob me of my farm
Shot him dead and I hung my head, and drove off in his car
Yeah there are lots of cinematic images, unlike his previous two records. Another cool song is Hallelujah -- mellow acoustic guitar that slowly builds up into an almost soul-sounding chorus, and sung from the perspective of a dead man. It's a good-enough album, not great though. To really get into the songs, it's best to whiskey up first. Or you can start with his debut, Mescalito.
