Everything Everytime Everywhere

With his fourth studio album, Trevor Hall takes some successful risks to further hone his own tone. The raspy-voiced singer/songwriter still plays incredibly summery tunes, but his opening number here, “The Return,” resembles a Ben Harper track with its balance of confessional darkness and sunny grooves. The mix throughout Everything Everytime Everywhere wields a more commanding presence, thanks to Kelly Clarkson’s producer Jimmy Messer. This is immediately evident in “Brand New Day”: a rootsy hit with an organically uplifting chorus ripe for radio play. The catchy “Different Hunger” is another standout song; it's built on a bouncy foundation of old-school Jamaican ska rhythms bolstered by a timeless-sounding brass section and heartwarming backing vocals by a children’s choir (dig the dub-infused bridge). Hall hands his appreciation back to the kids on the playful “Dr. Seuss,” where he rhymes the whimsical words of Theodor Seuss Geisel’s fantastical works over sing-along melodies. “Te Amo” downshifts into a hushed folky serenade.