It’s funny how a place calls to us, even when we think we escape it. It invades our dreams, and sometimes appears within our art. The Texas Panhandle can be an unforgiving and desolate place, but it also leaves a mark on those that weather the storms, the droughts, the oil booms and busts. Some never leave; they raise the next generation of homecoming queens and football teams. Others, like Ryan Culwell, escape their small town, strike out on their own and sample what the big world has to offer. Although not a household name, Ryan’s had his share of success: a critically acclaimed second album, with praise from Rolling Stone and NPR. There seems to be no formula that Culwell follows when making albums, as each of his three albums examine a different aspect of his life or the times he’s living in. “That first record was me setting my gaze on where I come from,” says Culwell, “and the second one was me setting my gaze on the country as a whole. This time around, though, I wanted to take a closer look at myself.”