Dylan Gossett accomplished a lot in just two years -- he went from posting homemade recordings on social media in 2023 to becoming one of the biggest new stars in country music by 2025 on the strength of singles like "Coal," "Beneath Oak Trees," "To Be Free," and "Lone Ole Cowboy."
Gossett's evocative songs of the hard lessons of love and the trials of everyday life touched a nerve with the country audience, and for his first full-length album, 2025's
Westward, he delivers a set of tunes that lives up to the promise of his early material.
Westward, a blend of new tracks and fan favorites, is dominated by soul-searching lyrics and subtly impassioned vocals that make him sound like an unusually talented and thoughtful Everyman. Though the arrangements and production recall the simple acoustic sound of his first sessions, here
Gossett works with a full band that subtly but firmly fleshes out the frameworks of his melodies, and the dynamics favor the songs and performances, adding new colors without spoiling the intimacy of his work. At a time when many country stars are upping the levels of bombast in their music,
Dylan Gossett shows you can say a lot without having to shout, and
Westward is an impressive and beautifully crafted debut. ~ Mark Deming
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