The stories that populate this debut album from Vincent Mason may be colourful, but the Georgia-born singer-songwriter isn’t telling tall tales. Instead, the rising country star draws inspiration from his own life—particularly the time he’s spent on the road as a touring musician in recent years, an emotional and eye-opening string of experiences he hopes resonates with listeners whether they’ve set foot on a stage or not. Accordingly, the 14 tracks that make up There I Go feel immediate and lived-in, something producer Jake Gear is able to mirror in his lush, understated work behind the boards. “I wanted to capture that, but loosely,” Mason tells Apple Music. “I think also I wanted to intertwine that with wanting it to feel like a road trip. I wanted it to feel like you’re getting on the bus, you’re playing a show, you’re going to a bar, getting on the bus again, coming home.” Mason opens There I Go with its title track, a mission statement of sorts that takes clear-eyed stock of the often lonely reality of living as a touring musician and the tempting excesses that can come along with it. “Damned If I Do” is brooding and soulful, with a dark edge to Mason’s vocals as he succumbs to an especially consuming heartbreak. “Old Flame,” with its easygoing melody and Chesney-esque vibe, gives Mason room to showcase the nuance in his voice, while “Painkiller” lets him loose on a ’90s-inspired ode to loving and leaving. Mason closes the album with a worktape version of “Good Run,” ending an already personal project on an intimate, revealing note.