Minimal, home-recorded, country-inflected folk from Austin, Texas. Dobbs’ third album of scorched-earth Americana is dark-night-of-the-soul depressive, and its ragged beauty matches its bleakness. His close-mic’ed, raspy baritone and the apocalyptic desert imagery in his lyrics make me think of a much darker Wooden Wand. The songs are all very slow, and they’re calming and unsettling in even measure. Perfect for anyone seeking a ruminative, nocturnal, hard-times alternative to modern corporate country. RIYL Jason Molina’s exorcistic solo records (Pyramid Electric Co., Let Me Go), late-period Vic Chesnutt, Townes Van Zandt half-passed-out in the back of his trailer home. No FCCs. Favorites: 1, 4, 6.

1. *(7:55)—Pretty electric guitar, wheezing harmonica, out-of-tune piano. “I want ornaments on nothing.”
2. (6:37)—Lovely, slow, circular fingerpicking on mellow post-rock guitar. Long instrumental middle section.
3. (5:26)—Minor key piano dirge. Nice bird sounds and saxophone. Strongly reminiscent of Jason Molina’s “Red Comet Dust.” Ends suddenly.
4. *(5:31)—Soft guitar strumming, a little like 2. Lovely chorus.
5. (6:07)—Muted piano and electric guitar, passages of nearly unhinged singing. Soft saxophone and wordless vocals drift in and out.
6. *(9:15)—Lush, wind-swept guitars and piano. Dreamy, repetitive, even soothing. Soft, dissonant harmonica.