Lukas Nelson & POTR, “Sticks and Stones.”

Lukas Nelson seems like a fun guy. Even if his musical wanderings aren’t the easiest to nail down.

The country influence is obvious. But he’s also a country boy who grew up at least part of the time in Hawaii, with his legendary father, Willie, to whom his vocal style resembles in a more buttoned-down way.

On Lukas Nelson & POTR’s new album, Sticks and Stones (the first since 2021’s A Few Stars Apart) there’s twang; there’s some late ’70s yacht rock, and there’s some songs that sound engineered to open an episode of “Hee Haw.” Which basically means driving, airy and appealing to a wide audience (“Hee Haw” was often targeted for ridicule, but never for a millisecond believe those people couldn’t blow a barn down to its studs with their musical abilities; it just didn’t seem like it because they were smiling so much).

Nelson and company also sound like they’ve swiped some bluegrass from a Coen Bros. film and maybe from Vaudeville as well. It’s a likable, very well-rooted, American sound, whatever the differing elements.

So, yeah, Lukas Nelson and his bandmates sound like a lot of fun. Even if it’s difficult to always define what they do, other than play whatever music comes out when they get together.

They can play, that’s for sure (they’ve backed Neil Young as well as Bradley Cooper’s backing band in “A Star is Born.” It stretches from full rootsy to country theater.

Title track “Sticks and Stones” is simple lyrically and in its riffing execution – a fine mid-tempo representation of the country concept. Though the slide or pedal steel guitar is thick in tone and production, dancing around a good vocal hook and some tasty piano. Nelson’s country phrasing is a bit over the top but doesn’t sound out of place. Yes, he sounds a bit like his father, only with more adherence to song structure.

Second song “Alcohallelujah” is predictably boozy and thick with slide guitar; something that sounds like a big singalong on a live stage. The theme continues (I’m guessing these guys occasionally have a drink or three) on “Every Time I Drink,” which is fun, with some showtunish ragtime piano and vocals in which he phases like his dad (sorry, but the comparisons are difficult to ignore).

The record’s first single, “More Than Friends,” is a duet with Lainey Wilson that vibes like a big country hit. Wilson has a clean, strong voice that pulls Nelson’s voice up into its gravity. It’s a nice change that still maintains the laidback vibe. They sound great together.

“Ladder of Love” picks up the pace like train picking up speed; a show opener to be sure. The whole band gets to show how tight it is, ascending guitar picking keeping pace with a rhythm section that fires off a frantic pace way too easily.

“Wrong House” has a simple, nursery rhyme cadence to which one can picture a floor full of square dancers doing their thing. Again, the guitar sound is thick and rich and the piano is well-placed. “Icarus” doesn’t take itself too seriously, reverting back to some of the chord progressions of older, Hank-Williams-style country that helped push early rock and roll.

“If I Didn’t Love You” features Nelson doing a casual vocal line in a song structured like country Vaudeville, thanks to layers of piano. “Overpass” is upbeat, if not a little predictable, which is fine when the guitars leading the way sound so good.

It sets up “Lying,” which may be the best song on the album. Here, Lukas Nelson is telling a story with a guitar like a troubadour in a confessional. It’s a style his father (yes, him again) is an absolute master of, and the son has a real knack for it as well.

“All Four Winds” has such a pleasant, ’70s yacht rock vibe, it’ll make you smile. But it works, with more of that Nelson phrasing that shifts into overdrive as he pushes his voice to a crescendo. A combination of guitars meshes really well to create the mellow island vibe.

“The View” is more of Nelson the singer-songwriter guitarist who owns a big boat on which he likes to watch sunsets. It’s barebones but confident and a bit dreamy. It’s a strong finish to an upbeat, very listenable record.

Follow music critic Tony Hicks at Twitter.com/TonyBaloney1967.