Jason Collett has one topic he wants to cover on his newest album, Rat A Tat Tat. That topic is love — the good, the bad, and the alt-country. It’s well-worn territory in that genre, yet Collett’s music never feels stale. While not every track is memorable — and oftentimes falls into easy listening background music — Collett never abandons a love for his craft, and it’s that feeling that elevates his music to something worth listening to.

Rat A Tat Tat reaches it’s greatest heights as well when Collett places more emphasis on the country side and less on the alternative. It’s obvious from a lot of tracks that he fancies himself a modern Bob Dylan, incorporating a similar rambling inflection, and it’s this influence that drives him to excel. Stripping down his songs to something mean and old-fashioned makes the listener aware that Collett has a lot to offer. The center of the album balances on the undeniable strength of “Bitch City,” “High Summer,” and “Cold Blue Halo.” These three songs form a powerhouse of the best Collett has to offer — great guitar and great songwriting. As for the rest of the album, there’s not a track that isn’t at least enjoyable, even if nothing sticks as hard as the middle three numbers.

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