Willy Vlautin writes songs and novels, bringing characters to life from the down at heel to the unfortunate and unlucky in outback America. Thoroughly recommend his books, and his previous band Richmond Fontaine, who will no doubt appear on this list at some point. He has a knack of making vivid the ordinary people struggling to get by in life, one of my favourite songwriters.
In Amy Boone, he has found the perfect voice for his songs, her world weary delivery resonates the characters’ troubles and draws you into their world. Seek out their records, particularly Colfax and The Imperial on vinyl, turn the lights out, pour a glass of bourbon and sink into that voice.