Darius' brand of country music, much like Radney's, is full of detailed, true-to-life accounts of love, regret and loyalty to childhood stomping grounds.

With these 15 tracks, it's clear he can do it all pretty damn good.

If last year’s Heroes, with the tongue-in-cheek “Roll Me Up,” was Willie proving he’s still vital, Let’s Face the Music and Dance is a legend who has seen it all reveling in the melancholy of time’s passing.

His recorded albums, and even his mesmerizing live show, have gradually incorporated a country sound. That trend continues on his latest, the rewarding 14-song Rebel Soul.

Taylor wrote or co-wrote everything here herself (including the hit “Tim McGraw”), and while the most immediately striking songs are her eviscerations of no-good teenage boys (“Should’ve Said No,” “Picture to Burn”), the more thoughtful material suggests a talent poised to last well past high school.

Kip's grainy, warm and confident vocal delivery ties the tales together into a believable tapestry.

Not everything works, however. ... Overall, though, this is the Hank Jr. we’ve been waiting to hear for years, and it’s a welcome return.

Country die-hards are likely to favor something sturdier, but listeners who walk on the wilder side are sure to find a few kicks inside Little Red Boots.

Easton gives fans of traditional country everything they've been missing.

It’s the incredible balance of Lady Antebellum’s many shades that makes this a flight worth catching.

You’ll want to hit the road and play this one over and over.

Younger listeners will get the most out of this sometimes-inspired, retro-leaning smorgasbord; the more observant among them may even discern that Wanda's "bad girl" '50s persona, unlike today's blunt and blush-worthy equivalent, is nothing more than an act.

Ultimately, Life on a Rock’s most exciting moments come when Kenny pushes his limits on something unusual

True to form, his major-label debut is a personal, understated and unpredictable collection.

If that weren't the case, the well-rounded first installment of Remember Me would nonetheless serve as a modest but fitting memorial to a world-class artist, as well as a testament to Willie's enduring musical ties to Nashville.

This album brings together a diverse lineup of artists for a collection that promotes the message that God has more to do with love than religion.

Kenny's sincere vocal delivery and the lyric content of each track are promising--but together, they register barely above maudlin, thanks to an overabundance of puttering tempos and downtrodden story lines.

While the album lacks some of the energy and freshness of 2010's Nothing Like This, introspective tunes such as "A Little Home," "Sunrise" (co-written by Joe Don) and the Lady Antebellum-esque "Come Wake Me Up" add even more depth to the trio's sound.

While some of the project’s dozen tracks, like the beautiful ballad “Do You Remember” and the refreshingly ’70s-sounding “Lay Low,” which calls to mind Gary Stewart, are of Blake’s caliber, others feel rushed.

As he moves beyond his rap boundaries into more country-rock fare, this album is a step forward for the Kid.

Overall, Josh's sound boasts enough twang to keep it country and enough soulful passion to keep things interesting.

Country Hits Bluegrass Style is mostly a rehash of Ricky's 2008 album for Cracker Barrel.

After the success of his "six-pack" album concept with Hillbilly Bone, Blake is back to delivering a full-length offering of music.

There’s a common theme of relationships among many of the songs, with the ballads “Lonely Tonight” and “Anyone Else” coming away as the strongest of the bunch.

Overall, though the lyric content is among the best on a Tim McGraw album to date.

The tunes are infused with banjos, B3s and other instruments without sounding cluttered. It’s nicely done, but you would hope for better material.

For the most part, Lady Antebellum strikes a nice balance between the two, keeping the penchant for bighearted ballads and the vocal chemistry between Charles Kelley and Hillary Scott intact.

Far from being a punching bag, this album contains enough musical muscle to throw a few punches of its own.