On his third album, songwriter Ryan Bingham reveals both confidence and growth. His previous recordings showed promise but were marred by youthful excesses. Bingham won an Oscar for "The Weary Kind," the theme song from the film Crazy Heart. The song was produced by T-Bone Burnett, creating a partnership extended on Junky Star. Bingham and his Dead Horses -- drummer Matthew Smith, bassist Elijah Ford, and guitarist Corby Schaub -- create a sound planted deeply in folk, country, blues, and roots rock. These lyrically direct songs reflect lost, desperate, displaced individuals, all dreaming the same dark dream and all growing tenser with the times -- and some fall over the edge.

Track Listing
1 The Poet Bingham
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