Another
Second
Chapter
Ten original songs about faith, family, regret, gratitude, perseverance, and the chapter that comes after life stops going according to plan.
Available Now
Another Second Chapter was released digitally on August 14, 2026. The complete ten-song album is now streaming, with the physical CD edition also available directly through Critical Blast.
Follow the Listen Now button above to hear the full album without leaving this page.
About the Album
Another Second Chapter is the debut Americana album from storyteller R. J. Carter, available now on major streaming and digital music services. Rooted in country, Americana, and singer-songwriter traditions, the ten-track record explores faith, family, regret, gratitude, perseverance, working-class life, adoption, and the unexpected turns that reshape a life.
The album began with two deeply personal songs: Days Ahead, written after the sobering realization that the years ahead had become fewer than the years behind, and The Boy I Told Goodbye, a reflection on placing a son for adoption thirty years ago.
Not every song comes from sorrow. Car Girl celebrates love, family, and a lifelong passion for classic cars, while Self-Made Man challenges the myth of total self-reliance with gratitude for those who helped carry the load. (Turn This) Truck Around and Find Out brings a harder-edged country-rock streak, and My Heart Belongs to Jesus (But) finds room for faith, romance, and a little trouble along the way.
Listen
Another Second Chapter is available now. Stream the complete 10-track album below.
Featured Songs
Days Ahead
Written after realizing the future had become countable — fewer years ahead than behind, and a life increasingly measured in days.
The Boy I Told Goodbye
A deeply personal reflection on adoption, memory, grief, and the emotional echoes of a life-changing decision made thirty years ago.
Self-Made Man
Inspired by the saying, “If you see a turtle on a fence post, you know he didn’t get there by himself.”
Rejected American Hero
Inspired by a homeless man seen regularly on a commute, and by the unseen stories carried by people society too easily overlooks.
It gives us another chapter after the first one ends.
Album Artwork
The visual world of Another Second Chapter is warm, sepia-toned, tactile, and rooted in rustic Americana imagery.
About R. J. Carter
R. J. Carter has spent much of his life telling stories. Raised with small-town roots and shaped by travels across the United States, Carter has published books, short stories, essays, and articles. Another Second Chapter is his first full-length album as a songwriter.
His music is introspective rather than dance-driven — not built for line dances or radio formulas, but for listeners who value lyrics, memory, and real-life storytelling.
Media Inquiries
Reviewers, bloggers, podcasters, and radio programmers may request press materials, high-resolution artwork, interview availability, and additional information for Another Second Chapter through Critical Blast Publishing.
The complete album is now publicly available through major streaming and digital music services.
Physical Edition
The physical CD edition of Another Second Chapter is available directly through Critical Blast.