Singer-songwriter Alex Woodard’s latest self-titled release is a song collection of love, loss and life that follows in the same vein of his previous works. Vocally, Woodard sounds like a woodsy, log cabin-dwelling mountain man, not the Californian surfer dude that he really is.

Woodard’s songs are all about storytelling with universal messages that carry across continents. His vocal delivery and songwriting style is strikingly close in comparison to Bob Dylan.

The standout track, “Reno,” is a sincere duet with Nickel Creek’s Sara Watkins about the emotional depth and apprehension of starting over. “Older” and “Hoops” are also especially notable tunes, lighter in nature with a country twinge.

Grade: B

Alex Woodard is currently available.