Had a chance to meet Texas singer-songwriters Richie and Cortny Bates in Denton one beautiful afternoon not too long ago. (They used to play as Radio Cowboys up in Wichita Falls and around the area.) 
Walls, Richie Bates' album, with wife Cortny Bates on some of the backup vocals and bass guitar and Richie playing all other instruments with an assist on the first track vocals by Ali Walker, draws to mind Americana Coldplay Swingstein (my term) Dave Mathews U2 Ben Kweller Lane Staley Counting Crows Tom Petty and bare hint of Jon Anderson (Paradise album) and one song is in the way of Beck’s Ramshackle song (Odelay album). It's got that all curled up in a north Texas bar that used to be a cotton gin, wooden chair, on the outskirts of a college town feel. I especially like the gango (banjo + guitar) and the harmonica on this record.
And the fiddle (violin).It is a good eclectic first record. My favorite tracks are 1. Seek and Destroy (listen, audio only)(that is the one with Ali Holder on back up vocals who is an Austin singer-songwriter) and 3. A Walk With Odous (Listen, audio only)(western swing styled). Listen also at http://www.richiebates.com/
Hook it at Amazon.com or Itunes.com (search "Richie Bates"). 89 cents to $7.92. Richie and Cortny have more music coming out this year and I can't wait to see (hear) what it is.
