Opening with the snappy, sprightly "Every Little Thing,"
Russell Dickerson's 2016 debut EP never apologizes for its modern pop inclinations, which means the singer/songwriter happily appropriates moves from
Sam Hunt,
Thomas Rhett, or any other contemporary country singer versatile with R&B rhythms, but lacks any bit of bro swagger.
Dickerson emphasizes hooks and sweetness -- sometimes marrying the two, as he does on the title track (present in a sparer and sappier second rendition billed as the "Wedding Edition") -- and while his inclinations can be corny ("MGNO," meaning it's "my girl's night out"), that shamelessness is often charming because it's paired to sharp songcraft. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine