StʌrunneR

The viral star steps out with his second collection of earnest pop

Benson Boone hails from tiny Monroe, Washington, but his songs tackle big dreams that showcase his global ambition. After a number of singles and his debut EP, Walk Me Home…, the small-town kid made good on his potential and ramped up anticipation for his debut album with “Beautiful Things,” a pensive, guitar-driven slow-burner that takes cues from alt-country thrillers before evolving into an emo-pop anthem. The track was a bold introduction to Fireworks & Rollerblades, which builds on the cathartic ecstasy of Walk Me Home… and finds Boone expanding his scope into unexpected territory.

Boone is an enthusisastic lover on Fireworks, like on “Be Someone,” where he puts his cards on the table: “Wanna be that guy that’s making it hard for you to sleep at night/I want you to call me when it’s getting late/You can tell me anything.” The synths are bouncy and the drums pull rhythm from disco influences, giving the song an undeniable pep. In contrast, piano ballad “In the Stars” finds Boone paying tribute to a departed friend, reckoning with religion and the afterlife, the pure pain of losing someone he loved very much. It’s in this track that he showcases his power, pouring his entire being into these devotions of love, heartbreak, tragedy, and the little moments in between.