Far West Almanac

Lead singer Casey Cannon is like a wild wounded Mustang who wears his soft spots tucked just beneath his sleeve. And the boy can sing. He and lead guitarist Xavier Gonzalez form the creative core of the group and handle most of the songwriting duties. On the new album the sensitive side comes through in such tracks as the loping _ time âlifetime Awayâ which laments the long and hard road they have been down, and what has been lost along the way. Yet they are at their most potent when they stick to the dark and loud side of things, the best track on 80 Feet Deep is the spooky and pissed off âDevil Stole My Last 10 Dollarsâ which proclaims: âIt donât matter what I done/ âcause everything means nothinâ, anyway/ I hate the world, it hates me/ I donât need itâs rotten company.â Another standout is âHell Donât Want to Rideâ which is a new sound for them if only because they deviate from the root-5th bass lines, opting for one which almost reminds me of the catchy appeal of a good 80âs pop song complete with adrenaline-pumping chorus.

They even lay down a version of Tom Waitsâ âGet Behind the Muleâ which has become a signature track in their live shows. âStopped Drinking Whiskeyâ is a vintage rockabilly jam bejeweled with an intro featuring a bona fide gospel choir for backup. 80 Feet Deep is a strong offering which is sure to please core fans of the FarWest Almanac sound â¢


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