After a lengthy run up dictated often by external factors, the latest album by Dean Owens finally sees daylight and the ultimate cumulation of a smart decision a while ago to team up with American band Calexico. In the distant jet stream of 2021's DESERT TRILOGY EPs, SINNER'S SHRINE emerges as the duly promised full length release and a monumental representation of why the 'Man from Leith' is one of the most innovative songwriting performers operating in the shadows and beyond.
Dean Owens has form in basing his work around the exotic wide open spaces of America's far south west. Buffalo Blood - the most recent large scale collaboration - was inspired by trips out there to tap into the land, culture and people. Now he merges his own Celtic heritage with the latino inspired rock of Calexico complete with a taste of the border and even tastier added sounds led by the horns.
You get strong hints of where this record is heading in the titles of three of the first four tracks, namely: 'Arizona', 'New Mexico' and 'Companera' (you're more than capable of hitting the translator). There is also a strong sense of this collaboration working as Owens perfectly blends in his own inimitable style with those he wrote and recorded with. This includes sharing the vocal duties on a couple of songs, most notably with Gaby Moreno on 'Land of the Hummingbird'.
To spice up the action a whistle-led instrumental splits proceedings just before the half way mark with the mind lodging title 'Here Comes Paul Newman'. This precedes one of the album's darker presented tracks in 'The Barbed Wire's Still Weeping'. Maybe the whistling softens you up as it also features in the follow up. Innovation and a delicious touch of latino rhythmical sense co-habit 'La Lomita' as Owens is more than convivial to share the canvas without trading a defined stamp from a lengthy career.
It transpires that some of the songs have been knocking around for years. It is pretty certain here that the treatment applied via a diverse team assembled across the seas has brushed them up. No more so than the climactic closer 'After the Rain' where Owens doesn't shy away from taking centre stage. Ultimately summing up a desire for him to never stand still as an artist. Something wholeheartedly achieved across the breadth of SINNER'S SHRINE.
If you are a strongly cemented to, and a highly rated member of an Americana movement, you only add credence by delivering projects like this that get right to the heart of the term. 2021 was the year where Dean Owens had artist-labelled commemoration by industry bodies. Expect 2022 to link that to an album.