If We Ever Make It Home

On his third studio album, , Texas singer/songwriter takes a giant leap forward. 's 2006 album revealed a raw talent that had yet to be completely fleshed out. was quick to stake his claim in the Americana market, but it was obvious he had a ways to go to match the music of his heroes, Texas singer/songwriters like and . On , the Lone Star troubadour proves himself a challenger for the Red Dirt Music throne. Songs like the sensitive a touching number that finds the singer struggling to pick up the broken pieces of a relationship he's not quite ready to let die, and the lump-in-the-throat a bleak track about the fine line we sometimes walk between heaven and hell, hit the emotion button hard. Americana constant adds his crushed-glass vocals to the latter. treads the same musical territory as fellow Texans throughout the disc, especially on the fervent delivers a dusty-throated vocal that his backing band smothers in a jangly, guitar-heavy sauce. In three albums has gone from up-and-comer to contender. ~ Todd Sterling