Los Angeles’s, Jay Nash’s, latest album, The Things You Think You Need , is a good representation of what you get when you juxtapose rock, folk, pop and a bit of country and then add a bit of poignant acoustic guitar in the mix. It is an effortless and easy album that is extremely likeable from the very first track.

The album succeeds in calling to a wide range of emotions, and the more cheerful tracks make for a good balance with the few somber songs, the former gaining an upper hand when determining the record’s overall mood.

The album displays Nash’s thoughtful lyrical ability which allows quiet moments of reflection and lamenting to coexist with more funky, playful offerings. With a vocal style reminiscent of both David Gray and Isaac Slade (The Fray), Nash’s soulful and seamless voice is the strongest when crooning his feelings of scorned melancholy. But he is also quite at home leading the more pop-oriented radio-friendly tracks, or even doing his best to channel Bruce Springsteen on track 6, “Hard Lesson.”

The one song that just doesn’t fit the mold of the album is on the last song, which is actually untitled. A more electronic feel combined with the haunting lyrics makes this a very short but ethereal track. 

The stark contrast in instrumentation makes this the most memorable and anomalous moment on this wonderful album. It leaves the listener with an unfinished, haunted feeling when Nash ends with “Open your eyes, you’re not alone.” 

The album, for the most part, has a fun and carefree vibe to it and it just begs to be sung along to. All the tracks are just ripe to get into your head and never leave, and I dare you to not tap your foot along to the music in the bluesy, speakeasy-like “Forgive Me.” 

This is one of those albums that is very easy to play on repeat. It quickly becomes like your favorite shirt.