There's a revival of back-to-basics country singer/songwriters underway. Artists like Sturgill Simpson, Kacey Musgraves, Chris Stapleton, Ashley Monroe, and (to some extent) Jason Isbell are all releasing twangy tunes that resonate far beyond the Heartland. Despite a career that stretches back to the early 2000s, the White Buffalo (AKA Jake Smith) crafts Americana folk-rock anthems that feel at home within this current trend. Smith wields a husky, soulful voice with blunt lyrical delivery. ("Your love is a motherfucking revelation," he sings on "Home Is in Your Arms.") On his latest album, 2015's Love and the Death of Damnation, Smith—who hails from Los Angeles—touches on everything from gentrification to struggles with faith, from getting stoned to Smith & Wessons. Fans of the Sons of Anarchy TV series may also recognize his gritty tunes from the show, but anyone else interested should grab a ticket and listen up. KEVIN W. SMITH