Austin-born, NYC-based musician Ricky Stein writes songs that seek to find spiritual common ground between the mesas of West Texas and the cobblestones of South Brooklyn. Titles such as "Night Shines On," "American Dreaming," and "The Great Empty" capture the energy of urban life in the modern era; latest single "Heart of the Night" attempts to find hope and meaning in an uncertain future. "The Tex-Mex Song" is about cheese enchiladas. All of these original compositions are delivered in an earnest baritone accompanied by some of Austin's finest local pickers, including Gary Newcomb on pedal steel, Phil Morris on bass, and his younger sister Erin Stein on backing vocals. The Austin Chronicle praised Stein's debut album Crazy Days as "Excellent right outta the gate" and sophomore release Long Summer as "among the best country sounds to come out of Austin this year."