A staple album on my ipod is The Great American Desert by the Thrift Store Cowboys. After seeing a live show at this year’s SXSW, I knew I had to tell more people about this evocative band. Their sound comes from a diverse mixture of instruments; sometimes it sounds western rockish, sometimes mariachi, sometimes indie folk with a desert twist. It is cohesive and beautiful, with the violin or pedal steel suddenly blowing through like the west Texas wind.

“So Young” has been a favorite song along with “Sleepy Engine,” which when played live, provided a light break from other darker, heavier tunes. Percussionist Kris Killingsworth then jokingly confessed, “We don’t write happy songs.”

That may be so, but the songwriting manages to steer clear of the overly sentimental country tendencies or too simple songs of other aspiring indie bands. Their lyrics don’t give it all away at first, but are thoughtful and filled with subtle images and little nuggets, such as “the game you never played you never won.” From their show I added “Dirtied Your Knees” and “Lubbock Lights” to my list of favorite songs, both of which are from their latest album Lay Low While Crawling or Creeping.