Since bubbling up into the country mainstream with 2021's
Gold Chain Cowboy
,
Parker McCollum
has continued to hone his signature brand of heartland rock, Americana, and Red Dirt, building up a quality catalog while fostering a growing fan base. Like his major-label debut, 2023's
Never Enough
was produced with
Jon Randall
and just missed out on reaching the top spot of Billboard's Country Albums chart. On album number five,
McCollum
shakes things up a bit, and to winning results. Working with a new set of producers in
Frank Liddell
and
Eric Masse
, the Texas-based singer/songwriter aimed to strip away some of the studio polish of his last two releases and make something that hits a little closer to home. This self-titled set does indeed feel a little looser and roomier, thanks in part to its swift weeklong recording session at New York's famed Power Station studio. There's an appealing laid-back tone to tracks like "My Blue" and "Permanent Headphones" which feel lived-in and melancholic. At times,
gets downright rugged, with spacy guitar solos and some welcome grit playing against his thoughtful songcraft, especially on "Killin' Me" and the standout "What Kinda Man." Tucked in between the more radio-ready peaks are less obvious highlights like the smartly written "Watch Me Bleed" and the nostalgic "Sunny Days."
is a quality songwriter who is easy to like, and the more intimate nature of this record opens the door even wider to his talents. ~ Timothy Monger