Wade Bowen - Wade Bowen (2014)

Based in Waco, Texas, Wade Bowen has been a star on the Lone Star State's country music scene for close to a decade, but 2014's self-titled release finds him moving into new musical directions while maintaining his strength as a storytelling songwriter. Wade Bowen is an album that delivers a sophisticated blend of contemporary country and thoughtful pop/rock music, and Bowen's intelligent but unpretentious songs about love and life rank with the best of his career. While his 2012 album, The Given, opened him up to a larger audience outside the Southwest, with its strong, new musical vision, Wade Bowen has the potential to bring him a brand new audience.