Songs About You

Maybe Brett Eldredge realized he got a little sleepy on 2020s Sunday Drive because its 2022 successor, Songs About You, opens with the boisterous secular gospel of "Cant Keep Up," a song livelier than anything on its predecessor. Songs About You doesnt keep that level of energy, but it does have a bright, cheerful sheen that pairs well with an increasingly soulful bent in Eldredges music. That soul rises to the surface on the breezy title track, along with the deceptively amiable "Get Out of My House" and the mellow grind of "Where Do I Sign," then recedes for a middle section of acoustic-based numbers whose delicate arrangements help showcase his careful crooning. The same can be said of the slicker, slower songs that constitute the back half of the album, but where Sunday Drive got bogged down in its deliberate pace, the songs and production on Songs About You keep Eldredge in the forefront. Nearly a decade into his career, he knows how to modulate his delivery so he not only keeps the melody in the forefront but he can also steer the listener through slow patches with an easy grin. That gift makes Songs About You an endearing country-pop record, one thats as notable for its welcoming mood as it is for its easy touch. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine