Mosquitos - Released in 1989, the cinematic motif rears its had again from the outset with a sweeping, uplifting instrumental opener,"Heat Takes a Walk," arranged by Van Dyke Parks. Less mechanized than before, and with slashes of brilliant color punctuating the sepia tones. Ridgway plays more guitar on tracks like "Lonely Town", an evocative, melting journey past desert sands and sagebrush while Pietra Wexstun, Tori Amos, Steve Berlin and Marc Ribot help round out the musical contributions.

With the songs "Goin' Southbound" and "Calling Out To Carol", (another top 5 European hit), Ridgway was off again on a world-wide tour. The searingly introspective, bar-room blues meets Existential-Humanist, "Mission In Life" becomes a traditional closer of the tour's performances with the poignantly embittered line, "I give 'em oceans to drink, then they drown in the tide."