Tullahoma

For as long as country music has been a commercial genre, one of its core themes has been the appeal of rural life. Dustin Lynch’s fourth album, <i>Tullahoma</i>, named for his Tennessee hometown, falls squarely into the tradition of looking back with affection and nostalgia on the pastoral place that shaped his upbringing. Like many of his hitmaking peers, his instinct is to put himself back in a youthful mindset—just old enough to try out pickup lines, drive backroads and test a few boundaries.<br /> Lynch produced the album with Zach Crowell and co-wrote just over half of its songs, including “Ridin’ Roads”, a slow-burning track with sleek digital pop production. “This town ain’t got no nightclub/We don’t need the neon lights,” he suavely insists to a date he’s looking to impress. “Momma’s House” is an angsty complaint about a breakup souring his memories of nearly every spot in town, “Thinking ’Bout You” a duet with Lauren Alaina reminiscing about footloose romance and “Dirt Road” a tune that revisits the restlessness of a small-town kid whose ambitions would pull him away.