We Were That Song

Alberta’s Brett Kissel moved to Nashville when he was 21 with dreams of becoming the next Garth Brooks. Shortly thereafter, Brooks invited Kissel to open for him on tour. It was the perfect environment for Kissel to polish his sound—a high-energy blend of pop-rock and country fixed on family values and open highways. The album drifts between moods. “Cecilia” is a tender ballad dedicated to his wife, while “Shootin’ It” hollers about skeet shooting with his pals. But don’t miss “Guitars and Gasoline”: with soaring fiddle, growling electric guitar, and coy lyrics about escaping town, it’s a rock-flavored love song that begs to be belted.