Far West

I've been a subscriber to my Rhapsody/Verizon app for quite a long while (years maybe). I taken the time to establish some listening channels. Such as Shadowrun and Mechwarrior. As well as a driving channel, Thunder Road. Basically to make a channel work, a subscriber plugs in ten artists they like, and Rhapsody does the rest.

I listen to the *Into The Far West* channel a lot. I've got picks in there that came from here. I can find Sam Billen's music, and the Far West selections. However, when I try plugging him as an artist selection into the Channel, no damn luck. It's like he doesn't exist.

Anyway, the channel is still pretty good. What I like about them, is how Rhapsody will add in similar selections. Gives a chance to see if what it picks will work for a soundtrack, or sourcetrack which I think is a better description for inspirational resource.

It found this track selection. I think it has a better chance when I can find the selections on YoutTube. I've got other albums form Sam, and I think I can hear small similarities. While writing this little blurb, I was just imagining what kind of music these two artist could come up with.

This particular selection is more mellow, but I can hear it may possibly fit in Far West.

This one came up too. What a title.

I *love* Janelle Monae. Hadn't picked up her latest album yet, but now I guess I have to!

For those of you who caught the Breaking Bad finale last night -- the opening song (and the episode's title) were taken from this classic, which is very FAR WEST appropriate:

This one popped up on my Far West Channel on Verizon/Rhapsody.

This one is great!

Something I knocked out a couple of weeks ago - maybe good for a travel montage.

Across The River by coalhada

"Roving Gambler" from this album seems like a good character theme tune...

Another recent addition to my Far West playlist -- the 2003 track from the Handsome Family that has recently been used as the theme to HBO's brilliant "True Detective":



Check the lyrics. I cannot imagine a more perfect fit for FAR WEST:

From the dusty mesa,
Her looming shadow grows,
Hidden in the branches of the poison creosote.
She twines her spines up slowly,
Towards the boiling sun,
And when I touched her skin,
My fingers ran with blood.

In the hushing dusk, under a swollen silver moon,
I came walking with the wind to watch the cactus bloom.
A strange hunger haunted me, the looming shadows danced.
I fell down to the thorny brush and felt a trembling hand.

When the last light warms the rocks,
And the rattlesnakes unfold,
Mountain cats will come to drag away your bones.

And rise with me forever,
Across the silent sand,
And the stars will be your eyes,
And the wind will be my hands.

It doesn't get more "Western plus Asian" than this: GHOST RIDERS IN THE SKY, performed on traditional Vietnamese instruments. Mind. BLOWN.

Abney Park's "Airship Pirates" has an Imperial / Industrial cowboy sound...

I really dig these guys! It's rather upbeat but it's a country-chinese flavor

Some cool stuff by this husband and wife duo (banjo meets chinese bluegrass):

one more by abney park that has the vibe:

This one crossed my desk recently:

My brother-in-law introduced me to a band from the "psychobilly" genre, The Goddamn Gallows.

Given that one of the FAR WEST projects in development is a novel called "Guns of the Seven Devils," this track was particularly a stand-out for me.