It's been 22 years since Luke Olson made his on-stage debut, and 13 years since he cut his first album. Pretty amazing when you consider the San Antonio singer/songwriter just turned 30. Now the decidedly un-grizzled veteran is releasing his fifth album, Red River Blue, on Sustain Records.

This time around Olson relies heavily on covers, by a ratio of three-to-one. Perhaps that's because of his newly minted status as a proud papa. Whatever the reason, it's somewhat of a shame because Olson really shines on two of his three originals. "Hello My Old Friend" is a nicely-phrased lament of the musician's reliance upon the road, paired with driving percussion, banjo, and mandolin. The theme continues on "Everyday," which slows the pace while adding lovely harmonies.

The covers generally work well, too. "Red River Blue" sounds positively Strait-esque. The Rodney Crowell–penned "Uncertain Texas" and Mac Macanally's "Yellow Lights" give Olson a chance to work with some strong storytelling.

But I'm puzzled by the inclusion of Brooks & Dunn's "Don't Look Back Now," which basically was a throwaway song to begin with and here seems to stretch Olson's vocal range a bit too much. Similarly, I'm not sure why Warren Zevon's "Searching for a Heart" was pegged as the album's first single. Olson's take is true enough to the original, but likely a bit heavy on vibrato to fit in nicely on commercial radio.

Regardless of the material's source, it's authenticity in delivery that makes Olson really stand out. There's almost an analog quality to the vocal tracks — you can hear the quaver in Olson's voice as he strums the guitar. And kudos to producer Gerald Boyd for steering clear of overusing gadgetry to beef up the endearing thinness in Olson's tenor.

Overall, Red River Blue is a solid country album that more than justifies Olson's place alongside labelmates Jason Boland & the Stragglers, Cory Morrow, Wade Bowen, and Drew Kennedy.

Listen:

"Hello My Old Friend"

"Everyday"

"Red River Blue"

"Uncertain Texas"

Buy:

Lone Star Music, Amazon