Night Diving

This sophomore album from Max McNown comes less than a year after his 2024 full-length debut, the viral success *Willfully Blind*. On that outing, the pop-folk singer-songwriter from Oregon crafted a collection of songs tailor-made for fans of fellow of-the-moment troubadours like Noah Kahan and Zach Bryan. *Night Diving* doesn’t mess with that formula, instead doubling down on the raw, heart-on-his-sleeve sound that made McNown a TikTok favorite. *Night Diving* opens with its title track, a brooding rendering of youthful regret that recalls the more somber sounds of The Lumineers. Another ballad, “It’s Not Your Fault,” offers absolution to an unknown subject, adding a sense of universality to the song’s titular message. And another highlight, “Roses and Wolves,” is the lone collaboration on the album, bringing McNown together with critically acclaimed country singer-songwriter Hailey Whitters for a duet about the last days of a doomed relationship.