New York, NY (Top40 Charts) On March 3rd, the Nashville-via-West
Texas songwriter Ryan Culwell will release Flatlands, his first album in more than 8 years, on Lightning Rod Records (Jason Isbell, Billy Joe Shaver,
Amanda Shires). When asked to describe the album, Culwell says, "listening to my music is like watching No County For Old Men...all the emptiness and violence will either scare you away or you'll find yourself alone at 3am with it on repeat."
Yesterday, CMT Edge debuted the video for Culwell's track "Red River" and said it "conveys the song's foreboding feel perfectly, like something bad is always just around the corner."
"I worked with Amarillo, Texas, native Ben Rollins because I needed a director who could really see what I see out there," explains Culwell. "I'm proud that we were able to show the
Texas Panhandle the way it really is — good and bad."
Recently, The Bluegrass Situation premiered the track "Red River" and said "Like Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Rodney Crowell, Nanci Griffith and so many others before him, Ryan Culwell wears his heritage on his sleeve, right next to his heart."
Kelly McCartney continued and said, "It's a song as haunting and hopeless as the
Texas Panhandle itself."
Guitar World Acoustic Nation premiered "Never Gonna Cry," the first single to be released from the album, and called it "masterfully crafted and artfully delivered."
Culwell was born in Perryton, TX and spent most his life among the company of roughneck oilfield men in a small town near the epicenter of the Dust Bowl. In 2006, Culwell released his debut album and quit music shortly thereafter. "When my daughters are grown they deserve a story that doesn't include the woes of West
Texas bars or a recounting of daddy's touring history to explain why he left their mom. I left the scene so those stories wouldn't write themselves over the top of me, and it was worth it."
"Flatlands was written for my father and my brother," explains Culwell. "We are tough people and I'm proud of that. I wanted to tell them and the world how special that is, and then remind them that toughness cannot save you. In the end, I was talking to myself."
Ryan Culwell will perform as an official showcasing artist the the 27th annual International Folk Alliance Conference on February 20th in Kansas City, MO.
Tour Dates:
2/20: Westin Hotel, Folk Alliance Conference - Kansas City, MO
Track List:
1) Amarillo
2) Never Gonna Cry
3) Flatlands
4) I Think I'll Be Their God
5) Darkness
6) Red River
7) I Will Come For You
8) Piss Down In My Bones
9) Won't Come Home
10) Satisfied
11) War
12) Horses
