DAVID NAIL

The Sound of a Million Dreams

[Universal Nashville]

With his third album, 32-year-old David Nail proves that he is a cut above contemporaries whose songs often rely on a slapdash collection of tired, countrier-than-thou stereotypes. Nail shows a knack for songcraft, most notably on “Catherine,” a tune written for his wife. But his supple, soulful tenor elevates the album’s outside material, too, as he tackles everything from frenetic Southern rock opener “Grandpa’s Farm (which also features stellar, gritty guitar from Doug Pettibone) to the loose, uptempo country-pop of “Desiree,” penned by Keith Urban and Vernon Rust. Album highlight “Songs for Sale,” which features backing vocals from country songbird Lee Ann Womack (whose husband, Frank Liddell, produced the record), epitomizes the musical journey found within The Sound of a Million Dreams: “Some are born to wear pinstripes on their sleeves/Swing a hammer and a nail, haul bricks or carry mail … but me, I’ve got songs for sale.” –Juli Thanki