Spinning emotional truths into rousing choruses and sing-alongs, Vance Joy has been writing love songs with universal appeal ever since his 2013 smash “Riptide”. With its babbling flow of disparate imagery, that humble ukulele tune conveyed the wobbly feelings triggered by a certain someone when romance is still new. And while 2021’s “Missing Piece” takes a wider view of love—pining for the cherished friends and family left isolated from each other during a pandemic—it strikes just as much of a chord. Some of the Melbourne songwriter’s other work is more directly romantic: 2014’s “Straight Into Your Arms” describes the safety and comfort experienced in another’s embrace, while 2023’s country-leaning Noah Cyrus duet “Everybody Needs Someone” centres on a simple plea for acceptance. And though 2018’s “We’re Going Home” was inspired by the bold step into the unknown that Vance Joy faced when going on tour with Taylor Swift, it doubles as a call to take similar risks with one’s heart.