There is something truly incredible about an artist realizing their work in a way that is true to the way they have envisioned it as a mere idea in their head, breaking free from previous restraints or expectations and crafting something full and complete. On 'Follow the Rivulets,' Nick Drummond's debut full-length album as a solo artist, he's taken all the best parts of his previous projects and meticulously crafted songs that are fun, beautiful, sad, and inspiring. It may be a break-up album, but I think it is more accurate to think of it as an album about putting things back together.

The songs are varied in their moods and styles. Best described as a singer-songwriter, Drummond uses elements of classic American folk music and bluesy roots rock to weave lyrics and a voice that is smooth and sympathetic between a sonic landscape that is layered and complex. Each track finds its own groove, inviting the listener in to share an experience sonically, but oftentimes also pushing us to dance, wherever we may be.

The album begins with 'Roll On,' a roots-rock jam that finds Drummond flexing his vocal range while he sings about fixing his broken heart by means of the Mississippi River. The musicians Drummond has found to play with him are all excellent and this first song is packed with the energy of New Orleans, jumping along with soulful organs and percussive guitars and bass. Lyrics like "She's a pretty flower of the Veiux Carre now / Feeling frisky from the whiskey getting carried away now / Just hitting her stride when she lost her feet / ‘Cause she drank too much of the river's sheen" paint the scene as Drummond sings to the river, asking for the answer, which may just be to hold on and roll on. 'How Strange' is a summer breeze of a song with a dancing guitar riff that doesn't quit until you get up and move with it. It's a song about resilience in the face of something overwhelming, determining to find the joy in something although we all know the sentiment: "how often do we say goodbye when we know it isn't good?" The song itself, in its upbeat and airy way, proves its own thesis that "sometimes laughter does what memory and tears never could."

And then there is 'Messin' Up,' my #1 song of the year. The song begins with a not-so-simple six-string banjo riff that can embed itself in your head and you'll find yourself walking to it's persuasive rhythm. It's a song about living life to its fullest, being unprepared for whatever gets thrown your way, but going with it anyway, mistakes and all. There are beautifully dramatic piano crescendos, spiraling guitars, and a mesmerizing hang drum, that all highlight Drummond's emotional outpouring as he sings "I thought I had buried this deeply / But she flickers like a flame in the gallows / And here I thought I was swimming in the shallows." The song leads into 'Waiting for Dawn,' a beautiful track that is best described as instrumental, where the instrument is layered vocals creating a soundscape that is one of the most pleasant things you'll ever hear.

Other songs are haunting ('Whistling Wind' and 'Rivulets'), and while Drummond's lyrics often deal with heartbreak and sadness, the ways in which he crafts these songs keeps them mysterious, as a sort of journey. There is, though, one song on the album which does not attempt to mask its sadness, and it is one of the more heartbreaking songs I've heard. 'Lady Lake' finds Drummond with his voice laid bare over a fingerpicked guitar and simple heart-beat drum, singing to an ex-lover about the disappointment of losing all the promises, memories, and futures when that relationship came to an end. Finally, the song ends with, instead of a longing for, a goodbye to the Lady Lake.

'Follow the Rivulets' has it all, intriguing and nature-inspired lyrics, songs about loss and recovery, an incredibly talented line-up of musicians (Eric Robert, Oliver Franklin, Ehssan Karimi, Nathan Yaccino, and Jon Karschney are credited, along with Drummond himself handling a variety of instruments), and the attitude of an artist discovering himself in a fully realized fashion. There are constantly new things to discover, buried in the lyrics or a bit further back in the mix, and it's a perfect album for repeated listening (especially on a summer day, so keep this one in mind come July). 'Follow the Rivulets' is a journey, not running away from anything, but instead running towards it with the fullness of life and spirit, in spite of whatever setbacks may occur.