Deluxe Edition (Curb, 2017)

Dylan Scott isn't breaking any ground with "Deluxe Edition." It doesn't say anything new or unique in the genre of country. That being said, many tracks are catchy and stand out solely for being fun to listen to.

"My Girl" is an example of this dichotomy. Although the hit love song leads the album, its contents are a little shallow. You can tell the titular girl is cool because she likes Jesus and sports and looks pretty without make-up on, and she smiles as she sits in the passenger's seat of her guy's truck. She doesn't come of as much more complex than that, something more of a country-song stereotype of a perfect woman than a real human being.

Similarly, "Ball Cap" praises a girl for looking good while wearing a ball cap. Other than the fact that she looks good while wearing a ball cap, there's not much else there. There's nothing inherently wrong with this, but what makes any country song strong is tapping into real emotion, even if it's difficult or painful, rather than resting on a shallow premise.

"Living Room" does attempt to go somewhere a little more interesting, as Scott focuses on the pain of losing someone. The imagery of Scott alone in this living room imagining "you and me on our old couch" and seeming to see the ghost of someone in this space is one of the more interesting aspects of this album. It comes across as more personal than other songs.

None of this is is to say the album isn't good. It is, but it's just not rising the ranks to greatness. What it does accomplish is something fun and laid-back. "Deluxe Edition" is something you listen to driving down the road with the windows down in the summer. Even though not saying anything new or important, at least Scott accomplishes that carefree, casual vibe effortlessly.