The esoteric title of Brad Cox’s fourth studio album hints at the Snowy Mountains singer-songwriter’s desire to roam beyond the familiar tropes and sounds of country music. And the record does just that, embracing the galloping heartland rock of vintage Bruce Springsteen on “Sunset Psalm”—which cites the healing power of the Queensland sun—and the synth-stoked “I’m a Boxer.” Cox also evokes The Black Keys’ bluesy stomp on the weed-inspired “Kickin’ Stones,” only to strip back to just voice and piano for the stark ballad “Wait on the Day.” Other tracks flirt with jazzy flourishes (“Keep Tappin’ On”) and frisky, Paul Simon-esque pop (“Vertigo”), but Cox holds firmly to his detail-rich storytelling throughout all those stylistic changes. True to its name, “The High Cost of Living”—featuring American singer Randy Houser—addresses everyday financial stresses. He proudly contrasts a fancy car with his own “shitbox ’98 Ford” on the derisive “Everything I’ve Got,” and recounts seeing Paul Kelly live and learning to play Nirvana’s “Come as You Are” on “Thick Skin.” Between those lived-in touches and Cox’s robust, rounded vocals, this diverse batch of tunes becomes all the more stirring.