James McMurtry - “Canola Fields”

SXSW 2022 - OEB Score: 7; Popularity Index: 9

Pairs Well With…Steve Earle, Johnny Cash, Ray Wylie Hubbard

Thirty-three years since his debut Too Long in the Wasteland, James McMurtry released the strongest overall record of his career in 2021’s The Horses and the Hounds, a feat that is a testament to Red Dirt Texas veteran’s pitch-perfect songwriting. Singing over a subtle, alt-country canvas, McMurtry doesn’t pull any musical surprises, rather he points ears to his storytelling with his gritted, classic country vocals. Appealing to pop country and rock ears equally, McMurtry’s The Horses and the Hounds is fully accessible and cleanly produced, but there’s a rawness to his approach that really comes across track to track. Ten albums in and McMurtry sounds as focused and interesting as ever, bringing a whole new appreciation to his deep catalog. (Kevin McStravick)