Ticket to L.A.

In two short years, Brett Young has made a name for himself with personal, romantic ballads like the triple-platinum “In Case You Didn’t Know.” On Ticket to L.A., his second album in as many years, he once again mines his life story for source material, and the result is a batch of songs that stay true to his roots while exploring some new terrain. He turns up the tempo on “Used to Missin’ You,” the soulful “Reason to Stay,” and in particular the title track—an autobiographical highlight about life lived between Nashville and L.A. The slow-dance ballads are still here, complete with clever turns of phrase (on “Change Your Name,” it’s the only thing about you he’d change) and even a guest appearance from Young’s musical idol Gavin DeGraw on the reflective “Chapters.”