Description
Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses – Junky Star – Double Vinyl Record
Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses – Junky Star is the third studio album from Ryan Bingham, and the second credited with his backing band, The Dead Horses. Released on August 31, 2010 via Lost Highway Records, the record followed the critical and commercial breakthrough of Roadhouse Sun (2009) and Bingham’s Academy Award–winning success with “The Weary Kind” (from Crazy Heart). Produced by T Bone Burnett, who had also overseen the Crazy Heart soundtrack, Junky Star leans into a stripped-down, rawer aesthetic that highlights Bingham’s gravelly voice, his storytelling, and a darker, more introspective mood.
Musically, the album blends folk, Americana, roots rock, and country, but with a sparer, more somber tone than its predecessor. Many tracks feel haunted and world-weary, reflecting characters on the margins of society—drifters, outlaws, lovers in decline. Bingham’s songwriting here is cinematic, often resembling modern dustbowl balladry. The Dead Horses (Marc Ford on guitar, Elijah Ford on bass, and drummer Matthew Smith) keep the arrangements grounded and organic, never overplaying, which complements Burnett’s “less is more” production style.
Key tracks include “The Poet”, a slow-burning opener that sets a reflective mood, and “Depression”, one of the most direct and powerful songs on the record, addressing economic struggle and emotional despair in plainspoken language. “Hallelujah” and “Yesterday’s Blues” showcase Bingham’s ability to combine gruff vocals with heartfelt vulnerability, while “Junky Star”, the title track, embodies the album’s themes of faded glory and broken dreams. “All Choked Up Again” and “Lay My Head on the Rail” lean into blues-infused grit, offering some of the record’s darker textures.
Junky Star is steeped in themes of hardship, resilience, and survival, with echoes of the Great Recession’s impact and a lineage that stretches back to Woody Guthrie and Townes Van Zandt. Where earlier albums sometimes leaned on roadhouse swagger, this one pulls back to reveal more vulnerability, as if success and recognition had only deepened Bingham’s awareness of life’s struggles.
Upon release, the album was met with strong reviews. Critics praised Bingham’s songwriting maturity, noting that his narratives felt both timeless and timely, with Burnett’s stark production enhancing the honesty of the performances. It debuted at #19 on the Billboard 200 and topped the Americana chart, cementing Bingham as one of the leading voices in contemporary Americana.
Junky Star is often seen as a career-defining record, one that captured Bingham at a crossroads—newly famous, but still deeply connected to the hardscrabble authenticity that had fueled his rise. It remains a touchstone in his catalog for its rawness, lyrical depth, and emotional weight, and a testament to the power of unvarnished Americana storytelling.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
The Poet
The Wandering
Strange Feelin’ In The Air
Junky Star
Depression
Hallelujah
Yesterday’s Blues
Direction Of The Wind
Lay My Head On The Rail
Hard Worn Trail
Self-Righteous Wall
All Choked Up Again
