Thieves double down

In a way, Marshall McLean’s story begins at the end.

The Montana transplant has been a popular staple in the local singer-songwriter scene for years. And his band has been praised as one of Spokane’s hottest newcomers in 2011.

But Horse Thieves is making its second debut of sorts with a double album release tonight at the Bing Crosby Theater.

For the first time, the group will appear with its solidified lineup – highlighted by new drummer Tiffany Stephens – simultaneously releasing recorded material that was conceived before the band existed, and recorded before the roster was complete.

“I sat down and titled the album, then I wrote it. I knew what the end of the story was before it had a beginning,” McLean says.

The result is two separate-but-connected albums, “Outlaw Ballads” and “The Valley of Decision.”

“Outlaw Ballads” is heavily acoustic-based alt country, while “The Valley of Decision” veers toward alt-rock. Both tell an episodic story of choice and consequence.

“We’re treating it like an art exhibition,” McLean says. “Each picture supports the larger concept, like an art gallery, except with songs.”

Horse Thieves – McLean on acoustic guitar, lap steel and baritone electric guitar; Adam Miller on acoustic and electric guitar; Miller’s brother Jordan on electric guitar; Fawn Dasovich on keyboards; and Stephens on drums – was inspired by the deadline McLean set for the album release before “The Valley of Decision” was finished.

Dasovich joined the band during the recording of “Outlaw Ballads.” Jordan Miller jumped in as drummer after much of it was complete, but shifted to guitar recently when Stephens came on board.

The albums were recorded by Adam Miller while band members were sequestered in a guest house at his family’s ranch in Elk.

“Adam and I were writing about what we were going through and that struggle led us to ‘The Valley of Decision,’ ” McLean says. “I was faced with a decision about the music, and Adam was faced with a decision about a relationship, but we were all in a valley of decision.”

“Outlaw Ballads” was finished in January, at a time when McLean was at a crossroads with his solo career. Ultimately coming to the conclusion that it was a conflict of interest with the band, he decided to shelve his solo record to focus on Horse Thieves.

At first the plan was to release an EP, but the band kept writing until the EP turned into a full-length record, then it decided to release both albums together.

“We weren’t that ambitious to begin with, but it felt like ‘Outlaw Ballads’ was half of the whole picture,” McLean says. “The cool thing is that the narrative of one album folds into the other. It’s a continuation of choosing to put down one thing and pick up another.

“The albums are about the quest we’re on and the decisions we’ve made to get there … wandering and wondering where we’re going, what we’re supposed to do, how we’re supposed to get there, and what to do when you get there and it doesn’t look like what you expected.”