He had been absent from the States for a while following the dissolution of Ian & Sylvia, but he certainly hadn't been idle -- Ian Tyson was quite a success in Canada, and Vanguard, a label he had been associated with previously, took a chance on repeating that success here. Eighteen Inches of Rain was part of Tyson's "Cowboy Culture" series (Vanguard also reissued Cowboyography), and it's a damn fine collection of songs about contemporary cowboys, ranchers, and just plain folks, beautifully performed and sung, elegantly designed, and equipped with excellent lyrics. Many cuts are above the run of country music -- songs like "Horsethief Moon" and "Rodeo Road" are songs that transcend boundaries.