Chris Young's storytelling stands tall on his fifth studio album, I’m Comin’ Over. Young sticks with stories of love and love lost (mostly), and turns in some of his most revealing and personal songs to date.

Two that hurt are “I Know a Guy” and “Sober Saturday Night,” his collaboration with Vince Gill. Both ballads find the singer feeling miserable after initiating an abrupt end to a relationship. A comparatively sparse arrangement frames his vocals, leaving him alone and vulnerable. There’s nowhere for Young to hide, which is the point.

“There’s probably a couple someones that are gonna hear the songs and go, ‘I think that might have been about me,’ or, ‘I know it’s about me," Young tells Taste of Country in the November cover story.

One finds more satisfaction than sorrow on I’m Comin’ Over, however. “Heartbeat,” “Calling My Name” and even the one-last-time hookup title track mellow the mood. “What If I Stay” deviates from the other love songs. It’s a thinner, more R&B influenced burner that might be Young's hottest since “Gettin’ You Home.” His performance here is understated and effective, similar to what happened when Lee Brice released “A Woman Like You” in 2011.

"But you're giving me that look baby / That says you're up to no good maybe / And you're whispering into my neck / Leaving thoughts inside my head / Well now since you put it that way / If I need to I'll go darling / But what if I stay," he sings at the chorus.

If “What If I Stay” is the kitten in the corner, “Think of You” is the charging bull. Everything about Young’s duet with Cassadee Pope is big. Vocally he seems to stand on tippy toes to hit certain notes at the chorus. One fights temptation to raise a fist in the air when the song climaxes one final time. It’s just not that kind of song, but it’s that kind of emotional catharsis.

"Underdogs" and “You Do the Talkin'" provide variety, and "Sunshine Overtime" gives a catchy release halfway through. It’s necessary. Young doesn’t speak in generalities or open-ended metaphors when telling his stories. I’m Comin’ Over is an album that loves, bleeds and begs for another chance.

The Single:

Young released the title track as the first single from I'm Comin' Over. The steamy lover pushes the boundaries and his music video (see below) goes even further. Like so many songs on this record, Young co-wrote the track with Corey Crowder and Josh Hoge. This one is very representative of the album as a whole.

The Producer:

James Stroud had produced each of Young's previous three studio albums, but he steps aside to let Crowder and Young co-produce here. This is the singer's first official production credit, and he says it happened organically. The album was recorded at the Soundstage in Nashville.

The Songs:

Eleven songs make the final track listing, and all but two were co-written by Young. The songwriting trio of Young, Crowder, Hoge teamed up often to pen this album's heart and soul, and they worked quickly. Most songs were started and finished in less than 90 minutes.

Vince Gill sings harmonies on a ballad called "Sober Saturday Night," and Cassadee Pope joins Young for a true duet called "Think of You." Other notable I'm Comin' Over songwriters include Liz Rose, the Warren Brothers and Jonathan Singleton.

1. “Heartbeat” (Chris Young, Corey Crowder, Josh Hoge)
2. “I'm Comin’ Over” (Chris Young, Corey Crowder, Josh Hoge)
3. “Think of You” (duet with Cassadee Pope) (Chris Young, Corey Crowder, Josh Hoge)
4. “You Do the Talkin’” (Cary Barlowe, Corey Crowder, Liz Rose)
5. “I Know a Guy” (Benjy Davis, Brett Tyler)
6. “Alone Tonight” (Chris Young, Corey Crowder, Josh Hoge)
7. “Sunshine Overtime” (Chris Young, Corey Crowder, Jeremy Stover)
8. “Sober Saturday Night” (feat. Vince Gill) (Chris Young, Brad Warren, Brett Warren)
9. “Underdogs” (Chris Young, Corey Crowder, Josh Hoge)
10. “Callin’ My Name" (Chris Young, Corey Crowder, Jonathan Singleton)
11. “What if I Stay" (Chris Young, Johnny Bulford, Josh Hoge)

The Tour:

Young's I'm Comin' Over Tour will continue into 2016 with Pope joining him for 13 shows throughout January and February. He begins Jan. 21 in Lowell, Mass. and wraps Feb. 26 in Baltimore, Md.

The Cover:

Young spent several hours with Taste of Country, talking about his music, his career thus far and his personal life. He talked more about the being (inappropriately) named someone Miranda Lambert was having an affair with, and explained why he decided to take full control of this album. Read the full article, and flip through his Taste of Country photo shoot by clicking the button below.

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