Nate Smith gets vulnerable in a soulful tribute to his home state

Nate Smith puts his signature soulful vocals front and center in a series of vulnerable ballads and high-energy anthems on his second album, released Friday (October 4). Smith maintains his country sound with some other genre-bending influences while paying tribute to his home state California gold.

The 16-track album is Smith’s follow-up to last year’s self-titled debut and 7-track EP. Through the smokewhich arrived in April. California gold offers collaborations with DJs and music producers Alesso (“I Like It”) and pop punk icon Avril Lavigne. “Can You Die From A Broken Heart” is the duo’s second collaboration released this year, following the duet version of Smith’s “Bulletproof,” which they first performed onstage at the 59th ACM Awards in Frisco, Texas. Smith was also named ACM New Male Artist of the Year. These collaborations appear on the record, along with several other previously released tracks and songs that Smith has been playing live and teasing on social media in recent weeks:

1. Fix what you didn’t break
2. Want me back
3. What alone looks like
4. Can you die of a broken heart?
5. Perfect
6. Carry you home
7. Goodbye
8. Not from this earth
9. I wish I had never had that feeling
10. Believe
11. Bittersweet
12. I gave it my all
13. Harmless
14. Bulletproof
15. California gold
16. I like it

Smith, who discussed his life and music in 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 was “happy that I get to be the messenger of these songs.” I’m not here to be cool or so. It’s literally just about hitting people right in the heart.” This era included “If I Could Stop Loving You,” “Wreckage,” “Whiskey On You,” “Sleeve,” “Name Storms After “, “World On Fire” and more.

Find the whole thing California gold here on iHeartRadio and listen to some of the tracks below.

“Fix what you didn’t break.”