From the opening piano notes of Paint All the Walls the Same, it’s clear that everything is different in the world of singer/songwriter AJ Gruenewald. Previously adopting a very intimate and bare-bones approach to his songwriting, these songs embrace a dramatic shift in formula. Between the extra percussion and banjo in opener “Aurora Alone” and the huge climax in “South for the Summer”, this change is deliberately and effectively made clear. AJ is still very much the focal point, but now there are new sounds welcomed into his world.

The first single “Union Springs” is one of the best songs Bogues has ever released. While it’s likely to be among the most familiar moments on this record to fans of his previous work, the song progresses into an absolutely crushing wall of emotion. Conveying these feelings has always been Bogues’ strongest ability - he can build an ornate world around his lyrics and put the listener right in the middle of it. And when he belts “Maybe I won’t feel guilty for all the things I did / Instead of being ashamed of what I’ve been” during the bridge, one can’t help but feel the weight behind every syllable.

Standout track “Light Where There Was None” is the first moment on this release where the growth between Paint All the Walls the Same and Bogues’ previous work becomes blatantly apparent. The song repeatedly shifts between what feels almost like a full band in a room and Gruenewald singing alone over a guitar throughout its three minute run time. The dynamics present on this track take it into uncharted waters for Bogues and make it among the best pieces of music in his whole discography.

After three years of steadily releasing songs, it finally feels like AJ has found what works and perfected it. Paint All the Walls the Same showcases Bogues at his most ambitious, and this ambition is what transforms these five songs into a truly profound statement. A statement that promises a bright future for one of the most unique up-and-coming voices in the scene he’s a part of. Bogues has nowhere to go but up, and Paint All the Walls the Same proves that to be true.