Little things make a big difference with Christian Serpas and Ghost Town. Serpas can write the sort of clever song that no one in country has written in 20-plus years, generally with good, Beatles-esque pop sense. They’re not going to change the world, but they can be a lot of fun. When Ghost Town records haven’t worked, it’s been because the rhythm section wasn’t up to par or George Neyrey’s guitar sound brought to mind a ‘80s hair metal guitarist more than the Georgia Satellites’ Dan Baird. The extreme compression and distortion are lessened on Open Road, so the songs fill out nicely, and the addition of Brian Broussard on bass keeps the songs moving. Those changes really help, and with a half-hour running time, Open Road doesn’t risk overstaying its welcome.

Buy Open Road by Christian Serpas and Ghost Town on iTunes

Listen to Open Road by Christian Serpas and Ghost Town on Spotify