Western

Hope Sandoval & the Warm Inventions – Until the Hunter

Style: Ethereal Country, Psychedelic Folk, Slowcore, Singer-Songwriter, Dream Pop

Vibe: Enchanting, Dreamy, Hypnotic, Forest, Wistful, Brooding, Western, Nocturnal, Sensual, Lethargic, Soothing, Melancholy, Reflective, Autumnal, Ethereal, Desert, Romantic, Bittersweet, Spectral

Musical Qualities: Slow, Lush, Soft, Atmospheric, Vocal Harmonies, Lyrical

Instrumentation: Slide Guitar, Vibraphone, Keyboards, Electric & Acoustic Guitars, Bass, Drums, Cello

Abronia – Obsidian Visions / Shadowed Lands

Style: Desert Rock, Spaghetti Western, Heavy Psych

Vibe: Adventure, Epic, Desert, Triumphant, Western, Cinematic, Focused

Musical Qualities: Fuzzy, Riffs, Atmospheric, Dynamic

Instrumentation: Saxophone, Electric Guitars, Slide Guitar, Bass, Drums, Melodica

Horseback – Piedmont Apocrypha

Style: Gothic Drone-Folk, Mystical Americana, Ritual-Psych

Vibe: Shadowy Spiritual Journey; Western Ghost Stories; Backporch Mysticism;
Apocalyptic, Cathartic, Haunting, Rustic, Ritualistic, Loner, Dark, Perilous, Murky, Intertwined

Musical Qualities: Droney, Suite, Improvisation, Thematic, Dynamic, Atmospheric

Instrumentation: Electric Guitar, Harmonium, Organ, Vocals, Percussion

Jenks Miller / James Toth – Road to Ruin

Style: Gothic Americana, New Weird America, Country-Drone

Vibe: Haunting, Western, Pastoral, Moody, Rainy, Loner, Dark

Musical Qualities: Droney, Lo-fi, Atmospheric, Improvisation

Instrumentation: Banjo, Electric Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Field Recordings, Percussion, Harmonium

Hardin & Russell – Ring of Bone

Style: Country, Folk

Vibes: Melancholy, Desert, Western, Sombre, Lonely, Sad, Breezy, Peaceful, Dreamy

Musical Qualities: Acoustic, Vocal Harmonies, Lush

Instrumentation: Acoustic Guitar, Vocals, Harmonica, Dobro, Piano, Fiddle, Trombone, Saxophone, Sousaphone, Trumpet, Flute, Congas, Electric Bass

Neko Case – Blacklisted

LP, Anti- Records, 2002 (2016, RE) Style: Gothic Americana, Alt-Country, Singer/Songwriter Vibe: Bittersweet, Rebellious, Haunting, Western, Passionate, Energetic, Longing, Anthemic, Breakup, Depressive, Heartfelt, Introspective, Twangy, Rustic, Sentimental

Earth – Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light I

Style: Drone Rock, Post-Rock

Vibe: Meditative, Desert, Hypnotic, Soothing, Spiritual, Western, Lethargic, Determined, Psychedelic

Musical Qualities: Slow, Riffs, Repetition, Improvisation, Minimalistic, Instrumental

Kendra Amalie – Intuition

Style: Space Rock, Folk Rock

Vibe: Desert, Spacey, Western, Moody

Musical Qualities: Riffs, Repetitive, Driving, Atmospheric

Susan Alcorn Quintet – Pedernal

Style: Avant-Chamber Jazz, Poly-Free Improvisation

Vibe: Abstract, Open, Suspenseful

Musical Attributes: Thematic Collective Improvisation, Instrumental

Instrumentation: Slide Guitar, Violin, Electric Guitar, Drums, Upright Bass

Earth – Primitive and Deadly

Style: Drone Rock, Stoner Rock, Heavy Psych

Vibe: Triumphant, Deliberate, Focused, Fuzzy, Heavy, Powerful, Hypnotic, Western

Musical Attributes: Repetitive, Riffs, Slow, Droney, Feedback

Sixteen Horsepower – Folklore

Style: Gothic Country, Americana, Chamber Folk?Vibe: Rustic, Sombre, Murky, Rootsy, Ominous, Loner, Western, Melancholy, Moody, Dark?Musical Attributes: Acoustic Instrumentation (Banjo, Upright Bass, Cello, Acoustic Guitar, Accordion, Piano), Atmospheric, Droney, Slow, Lyrical?Lyrical Themes: Alienation, Religious, Christian, Storytelling

Earth – Radio Live

Released in 2009 on Southern Lord Records Recorded live in 2007 and 2008 Format: LP

Dirty Three – Horse Stories

The third album from the Melbourne (Au) violin/guitar/drum trio consists of loose, drifting instrumentals that conjure images of vast, open plains. Though the music here is often melancholic and lethargic, it is occasionally swept up with bursts of passionate energy and possessed by cathartic longing (especially the pleading and utterly beautiful violin solo on “Warren’s Lament”). All three instrumentalists have very individual styles that complement and dialogue with each other in refreshingly unique ways.