First Look: The Wooden Sky – “If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone”

The Wooden SkyYou wouldn’t know it from the best-of-decade lists flying around these days, but alt.country remains alive and well. The genre’s latest vital release (and Canada’s latest display of domination in any genre involving acoustic guitars) is The Wooden Sky’s If I Don’t Come Home You’ll Know I’m Gone, a collection of dusty barroom anthems and lovelorn hymnals with instant appeal. It’s a workmanlike, emotive album, guided by the sure hand of producer Howard Bilerman (Ravens & Chimes, Arcade Fire) — and one fans of Nelson’s poor-selling sad songs and waltzes won’t want to miss. The band plays the Hotel Cafe tonight in Los Angeles at 7 p.m.

The Wooden Sky – “Oh My God (It Still Means A Lot To Me)”: mp3

(If I Don’t Come Home… is out now)