Pelago

Ryan Hurd finally received a hit as a performer when he paired up with Maren Morris -- the superstar singer/songwriter is also Hurd's wife -- for the slow-burning ballad "Chasing After You." The single helped set up the October 2021 release of Pelago, a gleaming example of modern country-pop. As sunny as a Saturday afternoon and smooth as a Sunday drive, Pelago is filled with easy melodies, gilded surfaces, and soft R&B rhythms, a warm setting that allows Hurd to sound empathetic yet masculine. His light touch is his chief appeal both as a singer and songwriter, letting him deliver heartbreak and lilting reggae with equal aplomb. If the production tends to veer a little too close to the rudderless, genre-free territory of streaming pop, Hurd's skill as a songwriter and presence as a performer keeps the focus on the song, which in turn makes Pelago a quite agreeable experience. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine