Every once and awhile a folk-rock song breaks through the barriers of the marketplace and forces itself into our ears. Mumford and Sons did it, and quickly The Lumineers did the same. But that trend isn’t always in season. And that probably explains why Mumford & Sons went full-fledged rock on their last set. And that’s probably why North Carolina family band Delta Rae is picking up on a few new moves on their sophomore LP, After It All. Inside the set, the talented Hölljes siblings and supporting cast of good friends expand on their warm Southern undertones by incorporating shades of urban swag and pop-centric melodies to the mix. “Scared” is blessed with piano arpeggios alongside Eric Hölljes‘s lead vocals, both permeating the atmosphere with radio-ready accessibility. Then Brittany Hölljes bursts out with a howl of opera prominence, showcasing something spectacularly transcendent. “Outlaws,” also blessed with pop harmonies and an engaging carousel of piano and synths, exposes more of their fruitfully tight harmonies, as if they have tapped into gospel choir superpowers.

As the album paces forward, Delta Rae travels the distance to sound more polished and craftier. “Chasing Twisters” puts Elizabeth Hopkins on a rollicking Western tempo marveling in a Lady Antebellum-esque grace. “Cold Day in Heaven” also drips with confetti of crossover pop, even if its rhythmic arrangement seems to be screaming for more grit and soul.

They haven’t exactly tossed out their Delta influences and Appalachian folk-rock foundation, which percolates in most places on After It All, although spread evenly across the way. “I Will Never Die” pulls on the strings of gutsy Southern rock masked around an African-American work song. Inside the determination to fight outer forces is poignantly documented: “You can bury my body but I’ll never die.” Songs like “Bethlehem Steel” and the title track also carries on rich acoustic elements of their debut album’s tradition, but seems almost buried in comatose when looking at the bigger picture. When you hear the Nashville-influenced “Dead End Road,” DeltaRae’s folk sound is beautifully glossed over with an immersive Fleetwood Mac sweetness. With crossover in sight, the band is morphing into a bigger well-oiled machine, adding more weight to their productions using additional personnel including pedal steel, viola and even electric guitar. The overall passion felt inside the lead parts and harmonies are also elevated past the performance of their first effort. Even lightweight B-side songs like the “You’re the One For Me” are pleasantly rendered, exposing the gravitas of Delta Rae’s evolution. There’s no reason why music lovers and critics shouldn’t be rushing towards a record of this brilliance.

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