A blend of country and blues out of rural Northern Alberta that wouldn’t sound out of place in a Quentin Tarantino movie; such is If Wishes Were Horses. Its flowing, organic sound makes an easy disc to get into and, from country waltzes to greasy blues; it’s just really friggin’ cool.

I like Matt Patershuk’s new album the same way I like most everything Matt Andersen does- these songs cover the themes of individual integrity, hard work, family and loss in a way that few others can. Like John Prine and Kris Kristofferson, Matt’s songs communicate the significance of small moments. The language of the lyrics on Horses is plain and easy to absorb, Patershuk doesn’t need to wax overly poetic or whip out his thesaurus, there’s a natural comfort in that which sits well with the music. The line between winning and losing, tenderness and resolve, is a thin one here.

If Wishes Were Horses is my first encounter with Matt Patershuk’s music, and I hope it’s not the last. His worn and natural delivery makes him sound and feel like a friend you’ve known for ages, and the songs on this disc are one side of a conversation that you’re thoroughly enjoying. Produced by Steve Dawson the songs here unfold naturally and unhurriedly. The accepted label here is ‘roots’ and it comes from somewhere out past where the highway ends, far from the madding crowd. Recently watching Ken Burns’ series Country Music has really opened my ears and heart to country, and music in general that doesn’t necessarily fit into neat little boxes. If Wishes Were Horses is the kind of album Hank Williams would’ve dug… maybe Muddy Waters too.