Troy Olsen EP (EMI Nashville, 2010)

Rather than a full album, Troy Olsen came out of the gate with an EP released as a digital download only.

Summer Thing was the first of the tracks served up as a single. Though it's got enough Cervezas and pretty girls for a Kenny Chesney song, there's an edge of melancholy in both the lyrics and the delivery. An undercurrent of harder times and problems best forgotten adds an air of realism to what might otherwise be just another party song.

It also delivers a strong sense of place, a common thread in the release. In Let Me Take You There, there turns out to be a hidden canyon, the perfect off the grid place for a cozy love nest. Truth or Consequences offers up a striking image of a highway pitstop at dusk, just one of many stops on the journey to find a lost love.

Ghost Town Train, which Tim McGraw also cut for his "Southern Voice" album, evokes more of a mood than a place. Regret permeates the lyrics, and the delivery and is punctuated by the steel in the arrangement. It's a beautiful song that feels classic without feeling old or cliche.

With only four tracks, this release seems like a just a taste of what Troy Olsen has to offer - but it's tasty enough to leave you wanting seconds.