Jack Blocker first found fame on the 22nd season of American Idol, finishing third place on the strength of his country-informed artistry and performances of songs by artists like Kacey Musgraves, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Brad Paisley. On this debut album from the Dallas County, Texas, native, Blocker shows he knows his way around an original song too, turning in 10 new tunes with co-producer Patrick Lyons (Colter Wall, Sam Barber). The Land on Most High opens with “Worth His Salt,” a traditional two-stepper with heavy pedal steel and vocals from Blocker that recall the agility of Tyler Childers and the tone of Zach Top. “If Heaven Looks Like Arkansas” pairs naturalistic imagery with spare production, showing Blocker’s songwriting to be as skillful as his singing. Blocker shows his tender side on “Waltz with Me,” inviting a lover whose “lips smell of lime juice and liquor” to dance, while the jaunty “100 Dollar Bill” shows he knows how to have a good time, too. Closing track “Lonestar” is a love letter to Blocker’s home state and the record’s most soulful moment, thanks to the addition of a horn section and especially emotional vocals from the up-and-comer.