Pick Me Up

How does a 25-year-old make an album this mature-sounding? Hint: He’s been releasing records since age 12. Canadian country singer Brett Kissel’s breakout album boasts panoramic production touches, built-to-last choruses, and an emotional range running from devastation (“Why Won’t You”) to jubilation (“Airwaves”). Kissel hosts some impressive guests—Hunter Hayes adds his axe to “I Can Play Guitar” and Carolyn Dawn Johnson brings luminous harmony to “I Didn’t Fall in Love With Your Hair”—but his powerhouse pipes are the star of this show.