J.P. Harris’s sophomore long-player, Home Is Where the Hurt Is, avoids faux-rebel poses in favor of unvarnished confessions of heartache and longing. Harris stamps his personality on all of the album’s tunes while tipping his hat to such influences as Waylon Jennings, Buck Owens, and Merle Haggard. The hard-luck tales embodied in his lyrics are lent gravitas by J.P.’s burly vocals and the crisp, twang-laden playing of The Tough Choices. Contributions by singer Nikki Lane, Old Crow Medicine Show’s Chance McCoy, and Los Lobos’ Steve Berlin add to the rough-hewn luster of this smart, grit-seasoned, and impressively authentic release.