The album beings with the lush, beautiful "7 Keys" and then heads into a poignant interpretation of Paul Simon's '70s classic "Slip-Sliding Away." Other songs featured on Words & Music include "Everything Changed" and "Nothing Else Matters."

Hales co-produced the record with his brother and musical right-hand man Ben Hales. Ben co-wrote several songs, including the Beatlesque "Mr. Universe," the delicate "Good Goodnight," and the heartfelt "On My Knees," the lead-off single from the album. Ben also provides guitar, bass, percussion, and pedal steel throughout the album, as well as harmony vocals.