Judah & the Lion/Flora Cash

Last year, producers Drew Long and Daniel James holed up with Judah & the Lion at Sound Emporium Studios in Nashville and cut the tracks that became Pep Talks, which came out earlier this year. Despite the somber nature of the lyrics, which address mental health issues and divorce, the album might be the band’s most uptempo effort to date. It begins with the exuberant chants of “Pep Talk,” which, with its horn section, sounds a bit like Fleetwood Mac’s “Tusk.” Other highlights include the twangy “Why Did You Run?,” which is one of the first songs that front man Judah Akers wrote for the disc. (Niesel)