Songs in the Gravel (Big Loud Texas / Mercury Records, 2024)

Given the short turnaround time between Dylan Gossett's debut EP, "No Better Time," released in October 2023, and"Songs in the Gravel," his new EP released in March 2024, it would be easy to think of those two collections as one debut album parsed out in increments. However, the gains Gossett makes on "Songs in the Gravel" reveal this four-song set is more of an evolution than a continuation.

Gossett, a young Austin-based singer/songwriter, became a true overnight success when his second-ever single "Coal" became a viral sensation on TikTok before making it on both the Billboard Hot 100 and U.S. country charts. That song and subsequent independently released EP connected with audiences thanks to personal storytelling and intimate acoustic arrangements.

From the initial few notes of "If I Had a Lover," the first track, it's clear that Gossett's sound has progressed. While his debut featured stark acoustic arrangements, the mood here is lighter. Even though he sings about being "about as lonely as can be" because he doesn't have either a girl or money, there is underlying joy and optimism. You can almost hear the smile in his voice and the accompanying banjo brightens and elevates the arrangement starting with the second chorus.

Gossett's pop sensibilities are evident on "Finally Stop Dreaming" and "Somewhere Between." The former incorporates a driving rhythm, fiddle accents and a catchy chorus to propel the song forward, while the latter is a fast-paced tune with bluegrass banjo accents that find the protagonist musing about life on the road.

"Bitter Winds," the final track, initially feels most similar to the songs on Gossett's initial EP. However, what begins with a brooding acoustic introduction accented only by resinous bass lines, is elevated as the song builds in volume, arrangement and urgency until Gossett breaks through the clouds before eventually settling back on the ground. This song is emotive, dynamic and a real standout.