The second part of the / double-album project from is, for most intents and purposes, not that different than the first. still finds himself relaxed in the groove he minted back in 2014, when he had a number one hit with the slow-burning R&B-inflected jam "Burnin' It Down." He spins this sound into love and heartbreak songs, much like he did on , but where that 2021 platter found space for some brighter moments -- there was a cache of drinking songs, plus the insistent soft rock of "This Bar Don't Work Anymore" -- rolls along at the same slow tempo. Even a piece of purported swagger like "Rock and Roll Cowboy" plods along at a steady gait, its attitude derived from volume, not energy. The relentless midtempo march creates a bit of a monotonous feel, particularly because doesn't vary his vocal attack much; he's stuck at a simmering glower, letting some conspicuous AutoTune deliver a new emotion on "Ain't Enough Cowboy," but otherwise relying on his reliable tricks. That he sounds comfortable ensconced in his wheelhouse is almost beside the point: maybe delivers what fans want, but he has no ambition greater than ensuring that is a relatively polished piece of crowd-pleasing product. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine