Blood Red Velvet

quot;Blood Red Velvet is another canto in the epic poem of snake-bit heroes, flawed love, and existential redemption that West has been crafting since his 1999 debut, Jamie Was a Boozer. (That one earned a Best Male Vocalist award from the Austin Chronicle.) Blood Red Velvet is a character-rich exploration of northern New Mexico's dark mystery and magic. Impulsive choices become life-altering, small details are anchored to significance, quick lines recur like favorite characters. Faith, and it's role in the culture of New Mexico, is an essential element in the songs. quot;There is a lot of faith, in either New Age ideas, Catholicism, Buddhism, Native Folklore, Native gods . . . but also it is hand in hand with a lot of violence,quot; says West. quot;That is what I hope to capture. The faith juxtaposed against violence and heartache.quot; NEW MEXICO MAGAZINE December 2012, Andrew Wice.