Adam Hood recorded a lot prior to the 2018 release of Somewhere in Between and he wrote even more, landing credits on albums by Miranda Lambert and Little Big Town. Lambert looms over Somewhere in Between -- Hood worked with Oran Thornton, who previously produced Lambert, along with her Pistol Annie partner Angaleena Presley -- because Hood shares a similar sense of lean songcraft, never bothering to add flair if the melody and words are already doing the work. Throughout Somewhere in Between, Hood relies on songs, never adding elements that are extraneous but pumping up the production when the song calls for it. The result is subtly, surprisingly satisfying: the swagger is so laconic, it's casual, emphasizing the southern soul that flows throughout the album. As good as the songs are -- and it relies on songs that would become standards, not hits -- what's seductive about Somewhere in Between is that loose, open swing. Unlike so many songwriters albums, this isn't about the compositions, it's about the vibe, which is why it's so appealing: the sound coaxes listeners to pay attention to the songs, which are the reason to stick around after the first listen.