Greg Laswell always has been a talented musician, but it wasn’t until his wife abruptly walked out on him that his music became real. In his latest album, Through Toledo, he shows that the pains in life, if channeled correctly, can create pieces of art.

As the saying goes, what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. It has made Laswell better.

Laswell’s album reflects on the important moments of his life but not with an edge that alienates his audience. With his open but subtly, intelligently expressed emotions, Laswell makes it easy for listeners to reflect on his lyrics and relate. There is a level of empathy demanded from his songs that helps portray Laswell as a textbook grassroots artist who plays for the love of music and is just trying to get by.

Blending the progressive character of Beck with the definitive rhythm of Mark Knopfler and the abstract lyrical style of Mark Kozelek, Laswell still creates a sound that is uniquely his own. He has found a way to seamlessly blend songs with folk rhythms and jazz undertones with tracks that pound with a wall-of-sound force. Whether it is in the fluctuation of a bass line or a slight rhythmic change in percussion, each song has a lingering feel.

In “Sing, Theresa Says,” a song inspired by a dream of his deceased grandmother, Laswell appeals to his unique style and creates an enjoyable piece despite challenging lyrics. The song is introduced with the sound of a fiddle playing in a traditional Appalachian style and then gives way to Laswell’s uplifting sound that has made him a favorite in his hometown of San Diego, Calif.

In the title track, “Through Toledo,” Laswell describes a place to which everyone must travel to get what he or she wants. Inspired by two friends who were moving to Toledo despite leaving a place they loved, Laswell questioned the obstacles he would have to face to attain his own personal wants. This song acts as a symbol to that thought.

This album isn’t going to be playing at the next fraternity party, and the rules of corporate radio will most likely keep Laswell out of what is considered mainstream music. His new album, however, will fit right in during a long drive or a porch sit with some close friends.