Good Looks Lived Here For a While

Upon first glance, Good Looks frontperson Tyler Jordan stays committed to writing observations straight from the heartland. That conviction fuels Jordan's colorful songwriting on their second LP, which might inevitably compare to the crop of young indie rockers expressing similar concerns. But he has every right to follow a similar path, and his narratives resonate with an authenticity that seems impossible to fake. Whether he shares the nurtured lunacy of his fundamentalist upbringing (Days of Judgment) or expresses the love he feels for his family despite grappling with the painful friction that comes with it (Why Don't You Believe Me?), Jordan writes from a place that he knows rather than resorting to pure fiction.

Jordan, who's just breaking through in his late thirties, lays it bare as if he has nothing to lose. Accompanied by a robust band that stands far above their indie rock contemporaries, he seems unfazed from potentially suffering the consequences of calling those he knows directly. There are tough confessionals that detail past relationships, like the driving If It's Gone. But when he acknowledges the good fortune he's found with his current relationship on the plainly titled Vaughn, Jordan sings with a jubilance that makes it irrelevant whether their relationship lasts. His South Texas roots may peg him against like-minded songwriters like Patterson Hood with his biting social commentary (White Out). Still, he focuses on respecting the subjects surrounding his everyday life rather than navigating broader political complexities.

Such is the direction that Jordan takes throughout the aptly titled Lived Here For a While, which documents him looking ahead and nothing else. But the underlying story behind Good Looks is that the band persists in making this a career, and they've surely earned their place by playing with a wide selection of styles that emphasize their dynamic melodic sensibilities. Rather than relying on Southern rock tropes, the tracks here, courtesy in large part to lead guitarist Jack Ames, can morph from evocative swirls of atmospheric guitars (Broken Body) and mournful, highly textured epics (Days of Judgment) to hook-filled anthems (Self-Destructor) at any moment's notice. Matching thoughtful lyricism with heightened arrangements, they're building on what they've learned, and all their efforts are clicking at the right time.