West Texas native Ross Cooper has already made a name for himself in the country music scene with his first two albums and with several of his songs cut by well established artists, including fellow West Texans William Clark Green and Wade Bowen. With Chasing Old Highs, to be released February 26, 2021, he takes it to a higher level. Don’t worry, if you are already a fan, the same charm and solid vocals you loved on Give It Time and I Rode the Wild Horses are enhanced with even more soul and music that will stay with you.

With several of the tracks, Cooper nails the perfect combination of unique and catchy, without being kitschy. Notably, is the upbeat “Hello Sunshine” that feels just like the positivity we need after a tumultuous year. He sings about pushing away the negativity. “Goodbye darkness / I’ll save you for a rainy day / So long sadness / I never liked you anyway.” I dare you not to smile when you listen to it.

In “Chasing Old Highs,” the tagline “I’m just chasing old highs and hitting new lows” could easily go trite but, instead, is a memorable line in a great country song about rodeo life and trying to let it go. “And I ain’t drawn a high lonesome lately / And every day is a day passed my prime / Do I love this to a point I’d let it kill me / And if I do, then maybe she was right.” Cooper’s experience as a former professional bareback bronc rider lends authenticity to this realm of his song writing.

“Freewheelin’ Feeling” is a windows down, blaring the music song, but if you listen a bit closer “I got this worn out journal / Words on a line / And if you want to hear them / I’d sure be obliged / Cuz maybe I ain’t nothing more than a few rhymes” expresses a vulnerability you might miss if you get caught in the melody.

“Cowboy Picture Show,” a co-write with William Clark Green, Daniel Markham and Charlie Stout, paints a picture of a small town night of days passed. It feels like a parent or grandparent telling a story and fits seamlessly in the album.

Among the more somber songs, the homesick “Flatland” gives homage to his west Texas roots, talking about it always being home, despite making the trek to Nashville. Remembering a past love, “Eleven Miles” leaves you wanting more of the story. I find Cooper’s vocal control impressive and equally strong on the happy-go-lucky and rip your heart out songs.

The line “I wake up late with nowhere / And no one to care what becomes of me” in a “Long Way from A Long Way Home” is indicative of the sad song about rodeo life. His songwriting provokes vivid imagery and is no more evident than in this one.

“South of the Angels” was released last fall as a single and the haunting and beautiful track is one I simply cannot listen to enough. “Ooh, they say nobody makes it here / Ooh, this is the American frontier / It feels like home in a hell / But we’re still down here / South of the Angels.”

I wanted to call this a solid traditional country album, because it is, with its themes of road and rodeo life and love and heartbreak, it makes my 80’s and 90’s country loving heart happy; but, I think it’s more accurate to say if you love rich vocals, memorable melodies and authentic lyrics, and a great mix of toe tappers and tear jerkers, you’ll love this album. And, if you are new to him you’ll be wondering “what took me so long to get here?”