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28-year old Ryan Bingham sounds like a smoky roadhouse, complete with white whiskers and gnarly Marlboros enabling him to sound years beyond the tender late 20’s. While his use of cowboy themes might sound contrived, the New Mexico native comes off legit amongst songs titles of “Country Roads,” “Rollin Highway Blues,” “Snake Eyes” and “Roadhouse Blues” on Roadhouse Sun, his second Lost Highway release. Bingham was a former homeless youth and bull-rider, so a poser he aint. And although troubadour is a tired and clichéd term, for this recording, it fits Bingham tight.
With the help of producer Marc Ford (Black Crowes), Roadhouse Sun features plenty of hard kicking alt-country you’d expect from the rough and tough background of this scrappy artst. Although the musicianship is pure ragged and rough around the edges, its Bingham’s gravelly voice that is the star from the down and dirty opener “Day is Done” to the haunting acoustic “Snake Eyes.” Bingham covers all the sounds you’d come to expect from a troubadour – so for fans of Steve Earle, Drive By Truckers and Ryan Adams – this drop is highly recommended.
