What really stands out about The Lonesome Crowded West is this journey it takes you on. Less like a concept album and more like a road trip soundtrack. It meanders between feelings of grinding teeth and soothing calm, love and heartache, hope and despair, with the mood and emotion shifting like tumbleweeds on a gusty day. The words really make you think, with riddle-like complexity at times. There’s an endearing honesty and authenticity inherent to this album that doesn’t exist in a lot of popular music. It’s similar to a piece of beautiful framed art, sculpture or metalwork that is obviously handmade, due to the fact that it exhibits noticeable imperfections. Perfectly imperfect: The Lonesome Crowded West
