Night Diving

This sophomore album from Max McNown comes less than a year after his 2024 full-length debut, the viral success <i>Willfully Blind</i>. On that outing, the pop-folk singer-songwriter from Oregon crafted a collection of songs tailor-made for fans of fellow of-the-moment troubadours like Noah Kahan and Zach Bryan. <i>Night Diving</i> doesn’t mess with that formula, instead doubling down on the raw, heart-on-his-sleeve sound that made McNown a TikTok favourite. <i>Night Diving</i> opens with its title track, a brooding rendering of youthful regret that recalls the more sombre sounds of The Lumineers. Another ballad, “It’s Not Your Fault”, offers absolution to an unknown subject, adding a sense of universality to the song’s titular message. And another highlight, “Roses and Wolves”, is the lone collaboration on the album, bringing McNown together with critically acclaimed country singer-songwriter Hailey Whitters for a duet about the last days of a doomed relationship.