He's had hits that rock a little and he hasn't been averse to buffing his country so it gleams like , but 's ace in the hole has always been his ballads. So relaxed he seems broken-in, not lazy, never oversells either his heartbreak or seduction, a skill not every singer has. Wisely, and his collaborator choose to spotlight the singer's softer side on , the first album the two produced solely together. There are some sunnier shifts of tone peppered throughout the album -- "Sunshine Overtime" is as cheerful as its title, "You Do the Talkin'" pulsates to crossover-friendly eighth notes, and "Heartbeat" opens the proceedings with a touch of urgency -- but the overall vibe of is so warm and slow that even the pounding homage "Underdogs" winds up feeling subdued. This isn't a bug -- it's a feature: the strength of is its mellow assurance, to which adds a shade of gravity with his gravelly voice, a touch of down-home flair that never seems affected. While some early fans may wind up pining for the lingering traditionalism that characterized the launch of his career -- there's not so much as a feint toward twang, not even with sitting in on "Sober Saturday Night" -- there's little doubt that this softer, mainstream iteration of not only suits him but spurs the singer to deliver the strongest album of his career. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine