The story of a band is sometimes that of polar opposites; beginning in one style and growing into a completely different. Some may say it is artist development that leads down a certain road while others say it is “selling out.”

After a brief stint away working with Middle Brother, Taylor Goldsmith has regrouped with his brother and bandmates to release their sophomore album Nothing Is Wrong, putting great distance between themselves and their Post-Punk origins with a sound that offers a modern Jackson Browne feel. Fitting enough that The Pretender himself chimes in with “Fire Away.”

Blurring the line between country and rock, without being particularly southern rock, Dawes has succeeded with a sound that envelops you with their homegrown melodies. Masterfully pacing the instrumentals to compliment the lyrics proves the natural talent these guys are capable of.

Painting a picture with words, inviting you into the very intimate and true world of their characters with lyrics such as “With his back against the San Francisco traffic, on the bridges side that faces toward the jail, setting out to join a demographic, he hoists his first leg up over the rail” this talent group of gents from California have put together 11 tracks of pure genius. They almost effortlessly tap into a very real emotion that is easily relatable. Using this to form each song on Nothing Is Wrong feels as almost a build up to the incredibly profound final track “Little Bit Of Everything.”

Whichever side of the argument you like to take, a change isn’t always a bad thing. Some may say selling out, some may say it’s growth; for Dawes, I say it’s finding their calling.