New Money

Walker Hayes has never shied away from humor. The country star hit the big time, after all, with “Fancy Like,” a cheeky but heartfelt ode to date nights at Applebee’s and low-maintenance love. So it wouldn’t be a stretch to guess that Hayes titled this collection with a winking smile, nodding to the hefty paychecks he collected in the wake of that song’s viral success. The title track brings that idea back down to earth, though, as Hayes takes stock of how far he’s come—he didn’t score with “Fancy Like” until a decade after releasing his debut LP, after all—while expressing gratitude for how his life has changed for the better. Highlights include “Accidentally Called Her You,” on which Hayes’ delivery lands somewhere between rapping and a sung drawl, and “Stetson,” a stuttering pop song with crossover potential. The record closes with a song all but begging to be another viral hit: “Taylor Swift,” a sweet and clever tribute to his daughter, whom he says he loves “even more than she loves Taylor Swift.”