KIX BROOKS

New to This Town

[Arista Nashville]

After 20 years as one-half of the country duo Brooks & Dunn, Kix Brooks goes solo with this schizophrenic set of midtempo Tex-Mex tunes and pop-tinged ballads. Brooks wrote nine of the 12 songs, and throughout, he examines the life of the modern-day cowboy. There are songs about whiskey and hotheaded women (“Moonshine Road,” “Tattoo”), along with the freedoms and costs of traveling America’s highways (“Bring It On Home,” “There’s the Sun”). Although he lacks the vocal power of longtime partner Ronnie Dunn, Brooks has a sly, smoky delivery fit for songs about more than mere flirtations. New to This Town might not ignite the imagination, and the sameness of the subject matter makes the album drag in spots, but Brooks’ knack for blending slick, contemporary arrangements with timeless sentiments make for an impressive effort. –Blake Boldt

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