LOVE STORY (EX)

Recording information: Blackbird Studios, Nashville, TN; Effigy Studios, Detroit, MI. Photographer: Ryan Smith . Lacking the focus of his debut, Yelawolf's 74-minute sophomore release could easily be divided into two albums that could each shine brighter on their own, but this 2015 release was announced back in 2012, so consider the cumbersome abundance of tracks available here the expected results of a long-delayed effort. As a clearinghouse for all this backed-up angst and anger, Love Story is a fan-pleasing stop-gap LP, one that's so rich in soul-searching material that the track sequence of "Til It's Gone," "Devil in My Veins," and "Best Friend" gets smashed together in one large trilogy of woe. They're all worthy numbers, and figuring out which one to axe would be difficult, but the drunken confession "Empty Bottles" follows right after, blunting its admirable portrayal of addiction. For the casual fan, it takes too long to get to true bangers like "Box Chevy V" or the slowly strolling swagger highlight "Johnny Cash," plus the career high point "Whiskey in the Bottle" slinks out of the speakers like some Southern-fried psychedelic rap from the land of Stankonia, making the lesser material included seem even more so. Ask a Yelawolf regular for a listener's guide then split apart this purposeful beast accordingly. ~ David Jeffries