As we slowly reemerge from the mental caverns of confused logic and pandemic shutdowns it behooves us to set aside our expectations and embrace aspects of life anew.

For Boise-based singer/songwriter Lori LaRayne, seizing the opportunity of life anew comes in the form of her latest album Thirst.

The twelve track, gritty, dusty analog qualities within the western Gothic Americana immediately transport you to the world of Thirst. Lori LaRayne delivers a memorable voice within the, often, haunting world crafted within. Fans of Americana who appreciate getting back to the roots of the style, perhaps through the lens of a modern perspective, will find time worth spending with Thirst.

Thirst leans heavily into the steely emotion of each strum and pluck (most prominently in “Lake King”) to carry the emotion from more than just lyric and vocal delivery. The dynamic crafted from this approach allows Lori LaRayne to expand into a sound that is not simply meticulously concocted, but a timbre and presence that paints a vivid landscape of emotion and grit. It is as if the acoustic instrumentals bend around the vocals which offset the presence of the album and each track just enough to leave you with a slightly unsettled warmth. Thirst is a vessel for LaRayne’s vocals which, at moments skirt almost Carlile-esc Americana (circa Bear Creek), but more-often-than-not confidently stride into a sound that is her own; one which pairs with the almost constant frenetic pace of the banjo in a dance around a campfire in the middle of nowhere in a surrender to a time and sound long since forgotten.

We can all afford to slightly adjust our perspective and reality as we attempt to find our new sense of life. Setting aside expectations and letting Thirst take you away is sure to provide you with an experience you didn’t expect and likely won’t forget. The syncopated vocal/banjo dance in the desert calls to the vastness of the imagination and the empowerment of LaRayne’s vision. Thirst is out now.