Album Review: Sam Outlaw - Tenderheart

Across these 13 new songs, Sam Outlaw hits more consistent territory than he did on his debut album.

The music is fuller and finds a greater synchronicity with his voice and the required sympathetic tones for his tales of affairs of the heart. His wordplay is in fine form, "trading looks and gossip over bottomless mimosas" as he continues to fine-tune his blend of earthy, traditional country music and the clean lines and sun-kissed vibes of the West Coast. The title track borrows heavily from Petty's Free Fallin' and musically the cliches are right on the surface, but for the most part he's a convincing songwriter — emotionally raw, and willing to embrace his sensitive and vulnerable side.