Badlands is Ambient Americana. Music with a kind of reflective atmosphere that honors the traditions of American roots music and Western culture. The follow up CD to Tingstad's 2006 GRAMMY nominated Southwest, there are layers of American fingerstyle guitar over a solid bed of crunchy twangy telecaster and infectious grooves. With some cuts having a Native American vibe, Badlands features an abundance of dobro, steel guitars, fiddle and shamanic drumming all tied together with the help of Cindy Cashdollar, Nancy Rumbel and Byron Metcalf. Relaxed but not whimpy, this recording has a slightly menacing message that the desert is a beautiful and spritual place, but you can also get in big trouble out there. Thinking about his boots, snakes and that empty tequila bottle, Tingstad always captures the essence of the 'place' in his songs ... New age cowboy with some punch.