Both Ways

In some ways, Donovan Woods leads a double life: The Ontario native records and tours as a soft-spoken, acoustic folk singer—his last album, Hard Settle, Ain’t Troubled, was long-listed for the 2016 Polaris Prize—while writing hits for arena-sized country acts like Tim McGraw and Lady Antebellum. His fifth album, which was partially recorded in Nashville, finally marries his two worlds. Marked by warm, electronic atmospheres (“Easy Street”), vibrant instrumentation (“I Live a Little Lie”), and progressive messaging (the video for “Burn That Bridge” traces the love story of a same-sex couple), Both Ways presents a bigger, bolder sound that blends Music City polish with outsider edge.