s there room in pop music for more than one singer/songwriter who sings humorous story-songs and likes to sail around the Gulf of Mexico? Mike Aiken tests this proposition on Hula Girl Highway, an album that cheerfully acknowledges its debt to Jimmy Buffett. This Norfolk-based artist definitely follows in the Man from Margaritaville’s footsteps, though he does make some detours along the way. Aiken’s reach extends to Texas swing (“Jump Up,” “Talk to Your Daughter”), swampy roots-rock (“Thick Black Water”), and mainstream country (“Jagger and Jones”), all rendered with an affable air. Mike has a folky side as well, expressed in his wistful cover of Michael Peter Smith’s “This Old Mandolin.” But it’s his affection for nautical settings and barroom vignettes that defines his persona, as shown in songs like “Find Me,” “Bottom’s Up,” and his version of Guy Clark’s “Blowin’ Like a Bandit.” If there’s any lingering doubt who Aiken’s hero might be, “Thank You (My Buffett Tune)” lays it on the line. If you’re a parrothead — or just like a catchy feel-good tune — Hula Girl Highway is worth a whirl.