Olson's 10-year marriage to Victoria Williams had ended in divorce and he subsequently suffered from depression.

[1][2] Olson and the making of the album were the subject of a half-hour documentary, The Salvation Blues, released by Grain Pictures.

[3] Writing for AllMusic, music critic Thom Jurek praised the Olson's songwriting and wrote "Ultimately, it comes down to the songs, though.

with the presentation being so utterly simple, a lot of weight rests not only on the singer, but on the lyrics and melody.

And Olson delivers, though the often shining optimism of his offerings has been tempered in places by grief, loss, and the workaday living of everyday life that blends dream and reality as time rushes forward; still he champions humble human nobility in choosing life over death each and every morning... Salvation Blues is stripped down, modern desert country music at its very best.