For Same Sky, their third Blue Élan Records album, the veteran Nashville-based musicians who formed Cimarron 615 after the death of their Poco bandmate Rusty Young have fully come into their own. The living, breathing definition of Americana, the group—named after the 1976 Poco hit “Rose of Cimarron” and their home city’s area code—is equally steeped in any number of roots genres. That approach can be heard on their first two releases, *Brand New Distance* (2023) and their self-titled sophomore effort, both showcasing their expert ensemble playing and patented lush three- and four-part harmonies.

Produced by the band and recorded at Treasure Island Recorders in Nashville with engineer Brandon Epps, Same Sky offers a wide variety of musical styles, from revved-up country twang (Guilbeau and Jon McElroy’s “Praying to Saint Rita”) to bluesy rock riffs (Sundrud and Craig Bickhardt’s apocalyptic “World Slidin’ Down”), along with everything in between.

There are forays into spirited bluegrass (native son Webb’s “Kentucky Callin’”), soulful Memphis R&B (Sundrud’s Al Green-flavored “The Intention of Your Touch”), breezy, horn-driven reggae-ska (Sundrud and Charles Frank Glass’ “Aruba”), and even a spicy crawfish Cajun zydeco stomp—a cover of “River Road,” written by Ronnie’s dad, fiddler “Gib” Guilbeau, with whom he played in the Burrito Brothers.

Speaking on the album title’s significance, Sundrud explained, “For me, it’s like we’re all one in this world, we’re all under the Same Sky.”

Other Same Sky highlights include “Broken and Blue,” a sprawling love ballad in waltz time, and Tim Krekel’s “California,” an epic suite that struts their jam-band bona fides as both an answer song to “Hotel California” and a nod to “Surf’s Up,” with “a bit of the Grateful Dead thrown in” for good measure.

“Your Turn Now,” co-written by all four, opens the album with a “Take It Easy” vibe that acknowledges the one-time sidemen are now in the driver’s seat, ready to take control of their musical destiny by accepting the torch from those who came before and preparing to pass it on to all who follow.

Webb’s “Comet in the Sky” offers an elegy for their late Poco bandmate Young, with an evocative pedal steel solo by Mike Daly.

“This is an acknowledgement of those who came before, who are no longer with us, particularly Rusty,” added Webb. “It’s saying, we’re going to miss you.”