David Eugene Edwards has always been hard to categorize. His lyrics often contain Christian imagery, but he's not considered a Christian artist. He's always populated his music with country and roots sounds, but he doesn't fit in those worlds. His bands 16 Horsepower and Wovenhand have released some of the most dramatic and spooky music of the last 30 years.

David Eugene Edwards Hyacinth (self-released)

Perhaps he might be better thought of as an American Nick Cave, but Cave rambles around his influences. Edwards has pretty much made himself home in the land of stark, dramatic and scary. This is his first solo album, but it's not that far removed from his two bands. After a few seconds aficionados will know exactly who's behind the music.

I love these haunting songs. And I don't mind that Edwards is plowing the same field. This is exactly what I thought it would be, and I'm not disappointed one bit.

If you're looking for a different take on Halloween music, Hyacinth will scare the shit out of the kids. I could wallow in this for a very long time. And I might just do that. Surpassingly fraught with doom and all the better for it.

Jon Worley