Sam Baker hails from the small prairie town of Itasca, Texas, and now lives in Austin. His new album Land of Doubt is his first in four years. It is a compelling testimony from a songwriter who has plenty to say. A cornerstone event in his life has been how he survived a 1986 terrorist bombing in Cuzco, Peru. In that horrible moment of chance, he suffered the loss of hearing in one ear and limited hearing in the other. Land Of Doubt is an atmospheric, beautiful and edgy collection which serves as a companion piece to his acclaimed 2013 album Say Grace. In the new release, there is a pervasive theme of uncertainty, of honesty that irrevocably has captured this listener. Baker worked for the first time in Nashville (with producer Neilson Hubbard) and the structure here is cleverly fashioned. Ten songs are mingled with five graphic interludes. The jazz trumpet of Don Mitchell is achingly good and the highly talented and omnipresent Will Kimborough adds delicate guitar patterns that adorn the lyrics, which were all penned by Baker ('Moses In The Reeds' was a co-write with Mary Gauthier).