

A booming voice, moody production, down-home storytelling: If the music of Cain Walker sounds like it was designed in a lab to appeal to fans of country music and Southern rock, there’s good reason for that. On this five-track EP, the fully AI-generated project appeals to fans of patriotic artists like Jason Aldean on tracks like “Don’t Tread on Me”, a down-home anthem that celebrates hard work and the American way of life. Freedom recalls the uplifting message of Jelly Roll’s best-loved songs, something especially evident on the title track. Vocally, Walker is made to sound most similar to Chris Stapleton, with a bit of Blake Shelton’s traditionally informed agility tossed in for good measure. The arrangements are spacious but potent, as on “Walk My Way”, which uses crunchy, larger-than-life power chords to dramatic, almost percussive effect, while occasional flourishes of fiddle enhance the music’s texture.