Track listing: Forgive Me Sera, Enlighten Me, Thinking of Cristina, Blueberry Wine, 1931, I'll Never Learn, Burning Silver, Midnight Oil, Wandering Infidel, Valley of the Unforgiven, DTs Roadhouse Shake, The Wind and Rain

In 2008, Irish singer-songwriter Richard Murray released Desert Wind, a mixture of acoustic guitars, pop music, and country music that spotlights his gift for writing music. If you didn't know he was from the UK, you might guess Murray was a contemporary of Central Texas native Steve Earle or the Mississippi-born Steve Forbert. Murray's storyteller songwriting style draws you in to hear his tales.

"Forgive Me Sera" is a bouncier song, merging a pop sensibility with an Americana vibe. The accompanying female vocal adds a pleasant contrast against Richard’s more raw, gruff voice. The second song on Desert Wind is a ballad, "Enlighten Me." While the acoustic guitar intro isn't remarkably in its originality (think Lifehouse's hit "You and Me"), the song offers a great deal lyrically in its call to be carefree and to wholly enjoy of life.

Something that stands out about Richard’s music is his lyrics, detailed in the imagery he paints for his audience. His words offer a window into his thoughts. It seems that Richard expresses himself best through his lyrics instead of his music, which serves more of a backdrop for the stories he tells. "Thinking of Cristina" picks up the pace and shows the side of Murray that is different and fun, as he shows that he has variety in his music by playing a more straight-forward country song.

Desert Wind is an enjoyable record, and it is nice to hear an artist go deep into songwriting to tell a compelling story with their lyrics. It is clear that Richard Murray only wants to give his fans and new listeners the best experience possible when listening to his albums. You can listen to Desert Wind on Richard’s Youtube channel.