Corey Kent came by the title of his debut project honestly. The Oklahoma-born, Dallas-based country up-and-comer used to work paving blacktop, saving his earnings to support his family and his dream of being an artist. On Blacktop, Kent’s hard-working ethos shines through, recalling the early work of artists like Eric Church and Kip Moore. Frequent Church collaborator Jay Joyce co-produced Blacktop alongside artist and producer Chris Farren, with the pair striking a peppy balance of Texas red dirt and country radio pop. The album opens with “Wild as Her”, Kent’s platinum breakout hit about a woman whose restless heart is “like a feather in a Tulsa wind”. “Long Story Short” is slick and melodic, with Kent’s lightly gritty vocals lending the track a ruffled edge. “BiC Flame” is an origin story of sorts, with images of “trying to live like we heard on the radio” and “10,000 lighters [lighting] up the black” reflecting Kent’s dream of being an artist. And “How You Know You Made It” nods to achieving that dream but eschewing the more shallow trappings of fame, instead celebrating “a house that’s home” and a “hand to hold”.