Music review: Brett Young – 鈥楾icket to L.A.鈥�
Inspired by his hometown, Brett Young鈥檚 latest album seamlessly blends a laid-back SoCal vibe with the down-home charm of Nashville on 鈥淭icket to L.A.鈥�
The follow-up to Young鈥檚 self-titled 2017 debut that featured four No. 1 singles serves as a natural continuation of the rising country artist鈥檚 talent and maturity.聽
The California native鈥檚 sophomore effort is poised to be Young鈥檚 breakthrough release on the strength of well-crafted arrangements that strike an emotional chord with their simplistic and heartfelt stories about life and love.
Debuting at No. 1 on Billboard鈥檚 Top Country Albums chart, Young co-wrote 10 of the 13 tracks on the new release and demonstrates why he was named the 2018 Academy of Country Music New Male Vocalist of the Year.
The title track opens the album by dishing the details about a chance encounter at an airport during a weather delay and falling head-over-heels in love after just a few hours of casual conversation.
The album鈥檚 first single, 鈥淗ere Tonight,鈥� is a charming love song with Justin Ebach, Ben Caver and Lady Antebellum鈥檚 Charles Kelley sharing the writing credits with Young as he declares, 鈥溾�楥ause I don鈥檛 wanna go if you don鈥檛 wanna go/We can just stay here in this minute/Lose all track of time/Let the world spin on without us for a while.鈥�
Clever tracks like 鈥淐atch鈥� and 鈥淐hange Your Name鈥� capture the first feelings of a budding romance after flirtation leads to a life-changing moment when you realize that you can鈥檛 live without someone. Hearts are certain to melt as Young sings, 鈥淲hen you see somebody/Who erases everybody in the room/I don鈥檛 know what to say, I don鈥檛 know what to do/That鈥檚 what you did to me when I saw you.鈥�
Young takes a reflective look back at his life through the years with 鈥淐hapters.鈥� The 37-year-old is joined by Gavin DeGraw on this life song that examines the stories that make up the different chapters of life and the lessons learned.
The set comes to a moving close with 鈥淒on鈥檛 Wanna Write This Song,鈥� a heartbreaking piano ballad that conveys the devastation and isolation felt after love suddenly dies and the struggle to let go and move forward.
Young will join Kelsea Ballerini on tour with a local appearance in Erie on April 13 at Erie Insurance Arena.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.