Area musician David Pulizzi isn’t quite sure why, but he’s always had a deep fondness for crows. Maybe it’s their high intelligence, large size and powerful voices that he connects to, or maybe it’s something else altogether. Whatever the reason may be, Pulizzi knew they were the perfect symbol to capture the spirit of his most recent album, “As the Crow Flies,” released on June 29.

“In my mind, I’m just flying along through this crazy world like any other crow, and these songs, in a sense, are what I’m seeing down below,” Pulizzi said.

The 10-song album marks Pulizzi’s first full-length release since 2015’s “This Town,” which he put out with the band Graveyard Rooster. With nine years between the two projects, the South Williamsport native was able to put his time and creative energy into crafting a collection of songs that reflects a vast array of influences and genres, including country, folk, rock and blues.

“Overall, I wasn’t aiming for any particular vibe or sound on the album,” said Pulizzi. “Mostly I just wanted to record 10 of my songs, and I trusted that they would somehow hold together when they were packaged as an album. And I think they do work well together as an album.”

Growing up, Pulizzi admired artists like Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and — above all others — Elvis Presley. Their impact on his songwriting and performance style is undeniable, and shines through on “As the Crow Flies” in a multitude of ways.

“What I value more than any inspiration they’ve provided to me as a songwriter and performer is simply the joy and deep, resonant beauty they’ve brought not only to my life, but to the lives of so many other people,” he said. “Of course, you could say that about a lot of great artists.”

To help bring the project to life, Pulizzi recorded “As the Crow Flies” at Eight Days a Week Studios in Northumberland, where he worked primarily with Paul Smith and Bret Alexander, who many will recognize as members of the popular roots rock band The Badlees. While Smith produced the album and plays bass on all its tracks, Alexander lends electric guitar, keyboards, mandolin and backing vocals.

“Both of those guys are total pros, and Bret is an idea machine,” Pulizzi said. “Not only that, he has the ability to execute any of the ideas he conceives. I think he brought a lot of beautiful color and dimension to the songs we recorded. I really enjoyed working with him.”

The other gifted studio musicians that can be heard on the album are Ron Simasek (drums) and Nyke Van Wyk (violin). For his part, Pulizzi not only sings all the songs on “As the Crow Flies,” he also plays acoustic guitar and harmonica.

Unlike his last album with Graveyard Rooster, in which he had a firm idea of how he wanted the songs to sound, Pulizzi said he went into the studio this time around with more of an open mind on the direction things would go.

“On this record, I wanted to ease up on my usual desire to control things,” he said. “For the most part, I’m glad I took that approach.”

As a lifelong musician with decades of experience, Pulizzi said he’s been “abnormally interested in music” for as long as he can remember. After starting to sing at a young age, he began teaching himself to play guitar when he was around 16 years old. He’s been writing his own music for the last 40 years or so.

“I write often, though what I write doesn’t always end up being a complete song,” Pulizzi said. “I find it fairly easy to start songs, but significantly more difficult to finish them.

“Mostly, I write songs simply because it amuses and pleases me. Sometimes, of course, there’s a story or point I wish to convey, and then I’ll write with that purpose in mind,” he added. “Other times I’ll be in a particular mood or be feeling a certain way toward someone, and I want to express that mood or feeling with words and sound. There are a lot of good reasons to write a song.”

While writing music doesn’t always provide Pulizzi with an emotional release, he said playing and singing songs — especially those he has written himself — does provide that sort of cathartic experience for him.

“For me, catharsis is practically the point of playing music,” said Pulizzi. “That feeling of deep, almost spiritual release — of expressing something of myself truly and clearly and beautifully — doesn’t happen every time I sit down with a guitar, but it’s the feeling I think most any musician wants to get to when they play or sing.”

Though all the songs on the album mean a lot to him, it’s the last track, “Time to Say Goodbye (for MB),” that holds a special place in Pulizzi’s heart. Written just over two years ago, he penned the song with his sister in mind on the night before she passed away.

“For me, that’s the most meaningful song on the record,” Pulizzi said.

Since its release in late June, Pulizzi said the early reception to the album has been “extremely positive.” His hope is that anyone who gives it a listen will appreciate his thoughts and perspective.

“I’ve been playing many of the songs at my gigs for a while, so most of the people who come see me regularly are probably familiar with those tracks,” he said.

Those interested in hearing the album for themselves can find “As the Crow Flies” on most streaming services, and it’s available for purchase at the iTunes Store.