Zack Villere’s previous album, Little World, was an upbeat, light-hearted album that appealed to a wide array of listeners, but his new album, Cardboard City, is quite the opposite.

Unlike his debut album, Cardboard City features songs with a much deeper, solemn tone, which attracts a different type of audience.

A few of the songs on the album, like “Hair Cut” and “No Country,” vaguely resemble the cheerful, fun tones of his first album, but the rest represent a new style for Villere.

Songs like “Reprise” and “Tunnel” have much slower melodies and sentimental meanings for the more emotional listeners who want connections to music rather than just a feel-good pop song.

Villere also brings new meaning into his songs, specifically “Projecting,” in which he counters the history of men traditionally writing about the faults of women in relationships rather than their own.

Overall, Cardboard City definitely appeals to a smaller audience than Little World because of the slower beats and deeper meanings behind the songs. But it is successful in connecting with listeners who value Villere’s new style of music.