Eric Durrance kicks off Angels Fly Away with a twangy bang as the self-taught musician simultaneously waxes anti-cohabitation and pro-codependency with the clever phrase, "I don't want someone I can live with/ I just want someone I can't live without." Durrance grew up in a family of traditional country musicians who raised him on George Jones, but his own melodies lean more on the catchy country rock of late '70s Eagles, especially in the driving "Turn It Off." Stylistically, he balances the heartland rebel and southern gentleman previously found in the songs of outlaws like Kris Kristofferson, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash. Durrance's music doesn't sound as formulaic as many of his Nashville contemporaries — he wrote the crux of these tunes, putting his own heart in the songs. The tender title track is a rootsy serenade that pulls from early John Mellencamp grit and modern day Keith Urban balladry while echoing Durrance's own emotion. "Life Is Hard" floats on light piano touches that support Durrance's hearty harmonies, sounding like a Bryan Adams piece penned for a blockbusting soundtrack.