When I hear the name Vance Joy, I immediately think of simple strums on the guitar and light taps on the snare paired seamlessly with his raw, folksy voice. When I heard his first album, Dream Your Life Away in 2014, I instantly fell in love with the Australian singer/songwriter. Three years later, his second album, Nation of Two, hit his indie-folk style on the mark and exceeded my expectations.

There wasn’t a single song on the thirteen-track album that I disliked. Each song brought a new mood with it, and I could tell Vance Joy poured his heart into the lyrics. With closer listening, I could hear the rawness of each phrase; I even wrote down some of my favorite lyrics. The deep, fervent lyrics paired with the simple guitar licks perfectly summed up Vance Joy’s style.

The opener of the album, “Call If You Need Me,” set a metaphorical tone; each lyric held a deeper meaning than what was portrayed on the surface. This song was perfect for setting the tone of the album because it showcased Vance Joy’s raw talent. His voice is like listening to rain pattering on the rooftop, and the soothing nature of it is calming and peaceful.

“One of These Days” is my favorite on the entire album because of the more fast-paced rhythms and the variety of instruments that blended together to form a beautiful song. The chorus is catchy, and I found myself tapping my foot and nodding my head to each beat.

Another strong favorite of mine was “Bonnie and Clyde” because the opening strums on the guitar immediately had me listening closely and intently. This song showcased his meaningful lyrics and pure talent. The more I listened to this song, the more I fell in love. All of Vance Joy’s songs are beautiful, but this one really had me hooked.

“Like Gold” was a simple tune that told the story of a past relationship that used to roar like a fire or that was like gold. Mentions of burning flames and gold were paired with the words “used to be,” which indicated that whatever he had with another strong flame is history. The story of the fire burning out and the gold rusting was melodically told through hard-hitting lyrics and effortless plucks on the guitar.

“Where We Start” was the perfect song to close the album. Three minutes and twenty seconds wasn’t enough to sum up the melodies that I was entranced by through the entire album. Three minutes and twenty seconds wasn’t enough time for me to fully realize that I had finished the album. Three minutes and twenty seconds wasn’t enough. Thirteen tracks weren’t enough.

Nation of Two was incredible. I didn’t know I was capable of loving an album so much, but if anyone could perform that well, it would be Vance Joy.