Over two years ago the inimitable Ross Fortune reviewed Bingham's debut, "Mescalito". With news just in of the Oscar nomination of Ryan Bingham song "The Weary Kind" from the movie Crazy Heart, I've pulled his review from our Archives. Ross knew a star when he heard him.

Ryan Bingham - Mescalito (Lost Highway)

Poke it with a stick, toss it in the air, blame Pat Green if you like, but whichever you look at it, the Texas singer-songwriter tradition has stalled out a little of late. So, while it might be foolish and premature (not to mention burdensome) to start comparing 25 year-old Ryan Bingham to elders such as Willie Nelson, Townes Van Zandt or Steve Earle, well... never say never. Clearly, the young and gritty, Austin-powered cowboy troubadour is one to watch.

Escaping from a tough, West Texas ranchland background, Bingham grew up early. He learned guitar in a small Mexican border town and traveled the rodeo circuit riding bulls. Putting out a couple of self-released albums along the way, he eventually wound up in Austin, where he was taken in by the cowboy literati and mentored by the likes of Joe Ely and Patty Griffin.

This, his major label debut, is a powerfully haunting work of pure Texas rock and roll. Most immediate stand-out is probably 'Bread & Water', a slide-guitar driven stomp of pedal-to-the-metal boogie. Elsewhere, there's steely shuffles and tunesome laments, plangent stuff of dirt and dust writ on the hoof and sung on the fly.

"I've been fighting all night with the dogs in the alley looking for a bone to eat, starving to death," he sings on 'Ever Wonder Why', a track you suspect is somehow key. "Everybody's troubled with your hustle and your bustle, your payment on your house is late. If I ever have a problem like that, I guess I'll be in pretty good shape. You can kiss my ass goodbye!"

Wiry, whiskey'd, weathered and worn, Bingham is wise beyond his years. A coolly hatted-and-booted box of bones. Yup, tender and wearied, classic and timeless, this is a great album. Fourteen rough and bruised songs, wrung from the heart with an ache and a drawl. The 'real deal' epithet gets thrown around with abandon. Sometimes, just sometimes, it's true. (Ross Fortune September 2007)
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www.Ryan Bingham YouTube clip

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