Easton Corbin

With a voice that embodies the smooth tones of George Strait yet hints at the coarser vocal texture of Keith Whitley, Florida-born Easton sounds authentic and confident surrounded by fiddles and acoustic guitar at a time when young country artists typically offset their country roots with flashy rock guitar solos or smoky R&B vocals.

It takes hearing lyrics like those in the well-crafted “Someday When I’m Old” or “A Lot to Learn About Livin’” to be reminded that Easton is in fact a newcomer. He co-wrote four of the songs here, including the charming “The Way Love Looks” and “That’ll Make You Wanna Drink.” This self-titled debut album, produced by former Keith Whitley bandleader Carson Chamberlain, should mark the start of a promising career.