As a solo artist, Chuck Ragan refashioned himself as a heartland troubadour, yet he still exudes the same renegade spirit that has helped to make his band Hot Water Music a punk institution. Since dropping his rootsy debut in 2007, the singer/songwriter has burrowed deeper into dusty country rock. Especially ambitious is The Flame in the Flood, which serves as both a deeply personal statement and the soundtrack to the 2016 video game of the same name. This sound is a perfect fit for Ragan, a blue-collar Southerner who boasts exactly the kind of gravelly voice and brooding tunes long associated with weary outlaws and lonesome drifters.