Veteran songwriter Pete Murray delves into assorted dimensions of romantic yearning on his knowingly titled eighth studio album. Growing out of song ideas that had collected over the course of a decade, Longing mingles feel-good love songs with more reflective work. If the opening title track and the later “Wouldn’t It Be Good” conjure the version of Murray we know best—soft strumming, confiding vocals—he also recruits producer Luke Palmer to enliven many of the tunes via keyboards or synth bass. That adds a warm backdrop to the propulsive folk pop of “Amy,” and a dank funk edge to “Long Way to Go,” which captures the headiness and heat of falling for someone new. Other textural surprises include the pronounced country twang and handclapped breakdown of “Place Your Bets,” and the breezy soul quality to both “Higher” and “Shakes.” Moving fluidly through such sonic shifts, Murray approaches all things amorous with a combination of dreamy reverie and focused commitment.