Refueled indeed:
Rascal Flatts
' 11th album,
Life Is a Highway: Refueled Duets
, injects new life into some of the band's biggest hits with the help of some big names from the worlds of country and way beyond. Obvious choices like
Blake Shelton
,
Jason Aldean
, and
Carly Pearce
keep it within genre lines, but it's the collaborations with the unexpected that make this an interesting project worth checking out. The
Jonas Brothers
have the honor of delivering the only new song on the album with the upbeat "I Dare You." Elsewhere,
Backstreet Boys
take on the earnest ballad "What Hurts the Most," which sonically aligns to the matured sound of that boy band's late-era output;
Kelly Clarkson
lends her powerful vocals to "I'm Movin' On"; and
Halestorm
's
Lzzy Hale
tackles "Life Is a Highway" with her signature heavy metal vocal grit. Longtime fans likely have these songs already committed to their memory banks, making these versions fun, refreshing reminders of past glory. On the reverse, there's major crossover potential for fans of these guest stars who might not have ever dipped their feet into these dusty, country-loving cowboy boots. ~ Neil Z. Yeung