The Aussie singer/songwriter and wanderlust aficionado's second studio long-player,
Resolute
feels both homespun and cosmopolitan; a dog-eared paperback with enough coffee and wine stains in its creases to suggest that it's endured the weathering of multiple ports of call. Lyrically,
Larsen
's breezy folk-pop may be informed by his nomadic lifestyle -- he left his small rural community in Queensland in 2010 and has since blazed a trail through North America, Asia, Europe, and beyond -- but his tales are never mired in the faux-egalitarian intellectualism or weary cynicism that so often accompanies the campfire yarns of the youthful world traveler. Instead, he comes off as a relatable and amiable narrator capable of distilling both wonder and woe into four minutes of grass-fed Anglo-Americana -- he's spent quite a bit of time in the U.K. with friend and fellow troubadour
Mike Rosenberg
, better known by his stage name
Passenger
. Like
Rosenberg
,
's songs feel rooted in the Sunday warmth of stalwart American singer/songwriters like
James Taylor
and
Paul Simon
. In fact, heartfelt singles "Aeroplanes" and "I Will Be Happy and Hopefully You Will Too" owe more than a cursory nod to the former. Pairing earnestness and melody is hardly a novel concept, especially in a genre that's so sonically and architecturally accommodating, but
's musings on love, life, and loss never feel cloying. Whether it's a short day trip or an epic adventure,
, as a soundtrack, is more than ready to tag along. Its comforts are subtle, but surprisingly restorative, like a postcard from an old friend. ~ James Christopher Monger