Long before the current mini-revival in Western music, Riders in the Sky harmonized about lonesome trails, tumblin' tumbleweeds, and big Montana skies. Two decades on, lead singer Ranger Doug still croons and yodels with the best of them, but what sets the trio apart is their wide stylistic range. With Ranger Doug on acoustic guitar, Woody Paul on fiddle, and Too Slim on bass, the trio are capable of much more than romantic cowboy melodies. On A Great Big Western Howdy the Riders expertly lasso dramatic narratives ("A Border Romance"), romping swing ("Wah-Hoo"), and three-part gospel harmonies. And Too Slim remains the wittiest comic sidekick on record, as he proves on the dizzily hilarious "Ballad of Palindrome." --Michael McCall