Town of a Million Dreams

Editors’ Notes Casey Barnes’ profile has grown steadily since he began his recording career in the mid-2000s and then stepped into the Australian Idol spotlight. His fifth album, Town of a Million Dreams, showcases the skill he’s developed at merging contemporary country forms with the brightness and propulsion of pop-rock. “A Little More,” “Sparks Fly,” and “Bright Lights,” all pleasing slices of flirtatious flattery against small-town backdrops, have effervescent melodies and sprightliness to their guitar-powered grooves. Barnes softens his delivery when he tackles the weightier sentiments of the remorseful ballad “No Other You,” featuring Missy Lancaster, and “Fine Wine,” a pledge of lasting commitment.