At 78, Ian Tyson remains one of the great musical chroniclers of the Far West. Raven Singer reflects the singer/songwriter’s thorough knowledge of folk and country traditions (honed over 50-plus years of recording), as well as his years as a southern Alberta horse rancher. Tyson may have lost his mellifluent lower register due to throat damage in 2006, but his abilities as a troubadour remain impressively vital. His latest songs are the work of a sharp-eyed observer of the outdoors life, filled with evocative landscapes and masterful character sketches. “Charles Goodnight’s Grave” salutes the memory of a cowboy legend, while “Rio Colorado” and “Under African Skies” capture their locales with cinematic clarity. Tyson reflects on mortality in “The Circle Is Through” and “Blueberry Susan,” finding a transcendent optimism in the wonders of the natural world. He remains adept at Western-themed love songs, as “Saddle Bronc Girl” and “Winterkill” show. A fine acoustic trio (augmented by such guest players as mandolin wiz Sam Bush) gives these tunes the sympathetic backup they deserve.