Nate Smith spotlights his signature, soulful vocals on a range of vulnerable ballads and fiercely-energetic anthems on his sophomore record that arrived on Friday (October 4). Smith maintains his country sound with a few other cross-genre influences as he pays tribute to his home state on California Gold.
The 16-track album is Smith’s follow-up to his self-titled debut last year, and 7-track EP, Through The Smoke, that arrived in April. California Gold features collaborations with DJ and music producer Alesso (“I Like It”) and pop-punk icon Avril Lavigne. “Can You Die From A Broken Heart” is the duo’s second collaboration to release this year, following the duet version of Smith’s “Bulletproof,” which they debuted on stage at the 59th ACM Awards in Frisco, Texas. Smith was also named the ACM New Male Artist of the Year. Those collaborations appear on the record, along with a few other previously-released tracks and songs Smith has played live and teased on social media in recent weeks:
- Fix What You Didn’t Break
- Want Me Back
- What Alone Looks Like
- Can You Die From A Broken Heart
- Perfect
- Carry You Home
- Goodbye Again
- Not of This Earth
- Wish I Never Felt
- Faith
- Bittersweet
- Gave It All
- Hurtless
- Bulletproof
- California Gold
- I Like It
Smith, who spoke about his life and music on a new episode of The Viall Files podcast on Thursday (October 3), said when he released his 26-track deluxe debut album last year that he feels “lucky that I get to be the messenger for these songs. I’m not here to be cool or anything like that. It’s literally just to hit people in the heart.” That era included “If I Could Stop Loving You,” “Wreckage,” “Whiskey On You,” “Sleeve,” “Name Storms After,” “World On Fire” and more.
Find the full California Gold on iHeartRadio here, and listen to a few of the tracks below.