Whenever the conversation turns to alt-country’s recent renaissance, two names seem to surface repeatedly: MJ Lenderman and Greg Freeman. While their music ultimately follows different paths, they share a devotion to songwriters like Warren Zevon, Stephen Malkmus, Neil Young and Jason Molina, along with a rare ability to uncover extraordinary emotional weight in the seemingly ordinary. Freeman’s remarkable 2022 debut “I Looked Out” took its time finding an audience, gradually growing from overlooked self-release into a word-of-mouth favourite and cult discovery. By the time last year’s sophomore album “Burnover” arrived, expectations were understandably high. If anything, Freeman exceeded them. Expanding his alt-country foundations into something more cinematic, dynamic and emotionally direct, “Burnover” moves effortlessly between ghost stories, heartbreak, historical echoes and everyday observations, always anchored by restless songwriting and an unmistakable gift for transforming mundane details into moments of startling tenderness. This summer, Greg Freeman brings those stories to Stay Out West.