Wyatt Flores may have first found prominence with the stripped-down, confessional country of his debut album Welcome to the Plains, but the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter seems to have really found his footing on this sophomore effort, which lets him stretch his legs as well as his interpretation of roots music. Pop-minded collaborators Charlie Handsome (Tate McRae, Post Malone), Jacob “JKash” Hindlin (Charlie Puth, Maroon 5) and Gian Stone (Diplo, Meghan Trainor) produced the LP, which may not surprises fans who have followed Flores’ recent collaborative work with a broad range of artists that includes Diplo and Carter Faith. While the vision is still Flores’, that extra-genre influence is palpable: The production is lusher and peppier than Flores’ previous work, a change that accentuates his natural inclination toward melodic songwriting, like on the propulsive opening track “Hate Myself”. In different hands, that song might have sounded like Zach Bryan or one of his many imitators, but instead is a fresh and infectious take on a breakup song. Where “Hate Myself” is slick and sweeping, fellow standout “Drive All Night” is soulful and gritty, with guitar and mandolin from celebrated multi-instrumentalist Bryan Sutton keeping Flores connected to his rootsy foundation. Other highlights include “Half the Man”, a tribute to Flores’ parents that expresses tenderness without becoming treacly, and “Runnin’ on E”, a compact, potent roots rocker about feeling left behind.