Dark and volatile are this year's black in country music, and Miranda Lambert reminds fans she is still the lead diva of danger with a new single called 'Mama's Broken Heart.' Her performance is every bit as enjoyably unstable as previous hits like 'Kerosene' and 'Gunpowder and Lead.' When she's mercurial, she's magic.
On 'Wagon Wheel,' Darius Rucker brings his signature sense of urgency to a modern classic that has been living just beneath the surface of mainstream success for nearly a decade. Old Crow Medicine Show turned the song into a gold single. Rucker's version -- although more polished than the original -- will have equal success in a fraction of the eight years it took OCMS.
Train's collaboration with Pistol Annie Ashley Monroe feels random, but the marriage of two very different vocal styles makes 'Bruises' a captivating listen. The forever sympathetic Monroe was a perfect choice for this class reunion-type song. While it might not be the official reason her solo album was pushed back to 2013, it's certainly a good reason.
'Changed,' the new single from Rascal Flatts, feels more personal than anything the trio has released up to this point in their decade-plus long career. The song, the title track from their 2012 album, was co-written by Gary LeVox, who talks about his relationship with God instead of just using his name conversationally as he's done in songs before.
Tim McGraw could make a pretty strong Christmas album if he chose to do so. His new release 'Mary and Joseph' is a creative -- but not too creative -- interpretation of the story of Jesus' birth. McGraw tells it like he's told the best stories of his two decade-long career, with a sweet reverence for the struggles his characters are living through.
In 'Party Like Cowboyz,' Big and Rich once again become the wild-eyed, brash, cowboy rockers that originally attracted so many fans to their diesel-powered style when they debuted in 2003. No one is going to accuse John Rich and Big Kenny of excessive versatility, but they do what they do with genuine conviction and passion.
The sanguine melody of Ashley Monroe's new bluegrass-tinged song 'Like a Rose' runs counter to the sad (at first) story the singer tells. This conflict makes her new recording one you may find on repeat for reasons you can't quite explain. It's beautiful in a tragic way.
The title track to Toby Keith's 'Hope on the Rocks' album shows the singer's genuine understanding of the nuanced relationships between bartenders and their regulars. But it's not just barkeeps that will relate to the ballad. Servers, liquor store clerks, the dry cleaner, radio DJs... anyone who provides a service and a set of open ears will appreciate his story.
With her second single, 'Whiskey,' Jana Kramer proves the vulnerability she showed on 'Why Ya Wanna' was no fluke. It's tough to turn away from her hurt, which on this song is aided by a tight lyric and sensible mix of pop and traditional country styling.
Toby Keith's new album 'Hope on the Rocks' is a loud and sudsy collection of songs about beer, barrooms, heartbreak... and beer. Much like a Saturday night out at your favorite watering hole, it's rowdy and fun, but difficult to remember the next morning.
Jason Aldean's new single 'The Only Way I Know' weaves from the same spool as his biggest hits. Themes of hard work, loyalty and small town values have been at the core of hits like 'Fly Over States,' 'Tattoos on This Town,' and most recently, 'Take a Little Ride,' even if you need to look beyond the cutie in the passenger seat to find them. On the new single from 'Night Train,' Aldean's message is more direct. but no less effective.
