After hearing lead single "Downtown", you might have thought that Lady A's new album would be a bit more up-beat then their previous efforts and we'd start hearing a different type of music from Lady A.

You'll be glad to here that 'Golden' may just be the trio's finest album to date. It has a good balance of up-tempos, mid-tempos and ballads.

Opening track "Get To Me" is a solid mid-tempo with solid vocals from Hillary Scott. Not groundbreaking, but solid.

The recently released "Goodbye Town", written by the 3 of them with Josh Kear, is one of their best released singles in recent memory. Producer Paul Worley does a good job of alowing Charles' and Hillary's vocals to shine through.

Speaking of vocals, I never realized how great of a vocalist Charles Kelley was until this album. I mean, I always thought he had a good voice but man, after 'Golden' I think he may be one of the best mainstream vocalists in the genre.

His voice remains solid on any type of single. This fact is proved best by 3 singles that are among the best on the album. Up-tempo "Better Off (Now That You're Gone)" which is backed up by a solid arrangement that verges on country-rock, mid-tempo love song "Can't Stand The Rain", and perhaps the best one of the bunch, title-track "Golden" which Paul Worley pairs with a laid-bakc, country arrangement, which helps Charles sound better than he ever has.

Enough with Charles Kelley love. It's Hillary's turn. Scott turns in a chaming performance on "Nothing Like The First Time". She also performs ballad "It Ain't Pretty" (which sound like something Jana Kramer might sing) very nicely. Though she might not have the range of a Martina McBride or a Carrie Underwood, she makes it work. Quite well I might add.

"Downtown" and "Long Teenage Goodbye" bring some fun to the album, making 'Golden' the complete package.

'Golden' shows growth and maturity from a group oozing with talent. It shows their willingness to be more than "Need You Now"+A couple other ballads. Most of all, it shows that Hillary and Charles can be among the genres best when paired with tasteful production.

Well done Lady A, well done.


Top Tracks: "Better Off (Now That You're Gone)", "Golden", "Goodbye Town"

Ms. Monroe has been on the scene for over half a decade now and she is finally getting to release a solo album on something other than iTunes. That isn't to say that her debut album was not excellent, actually it may be one of the greatest debuts of all time, but this is a promising landmark for a career so anticipated for its potential it doesn't matter. With this and Kacey Musgraves' debut easily being two of the most anticipated albums of the year, how does it measure up to the hype?

The answer is simple: almost perfectly.

The album has her usual traditional bent and his characterized by productions that feel beautifully organic for the song. This is not to say they are all as openly organic as "Like a Rose" and for proof look at the haunting arrangement of the Little Big Town assisted "You Got Me" midway through the album.

Usually, one has right to be concerned about the quality of vocals on country albums today; however, one thing that can always be assured by Monroe is regardless of whether it be a sorrowful ballad ("The Morning After"), novelty ("You Ain't Dolly"), pop tinged ("Bruises" with Train) or honky tonk ("Two Weeks Late" and Pistol Annies) she will sound excellent. Pus, the guest she includes are some of the best vocals country has to offer in Little Big Town, Blake Shelton, and Vince Gill.

She has striking vocals and cleverly fitting productions, so what about the lyrics? Her lyrics, with the exception of the Voice and 50 Shades of Grey references in "Dolly," are always well developed with and insightful perspective. This is best seen on the Keith Whitley-esque "She's Driving Me Out of Your Mind" and the clever "Two Weeks Late," who says plainly about her life and struggles "I'm a dollar short, and two weeks late" in a manner that recalls "Beige" from Hell on Heels.

Two of the best tracks tho are "You Got Me" and "Weed Instead of Roses". "You Got Me" has the distinction of being the most haunting track on the album with a pulsating tempo that lends a sense of desperation to the lyrics about longing for the man, whether he knows it or not she is in his hand to use. Similarly, "Weed Instead of Roses" utilizes a somewhat unconventional perspective to detail a longing for an intensely passionate relationship again, using lyrics like "Give me weed instead of roses, whiskey instead of wine"  to characterize the desperation of the woman. The production further elevates it to a level of greatness that just narrowly avoids becoming camp with its tongue-in-cheek singing.

Throughout the album, Monroe utilizes her vocal gifts, insightful lyrical perspective and intricately sparse production to convey human turmoil and desperation in a manner sparsely seen in recent years. The album is short of perfect, coming in short at 9 tracks (including the re-use of "Used" from Satisfied) and having a forgivable misstep in in "You Ain't Dolly (and You AIn't Porter)" at the end. It is still excellent, surpassing many of her contemporaries longer sets, and sets a high standard for the rest of the year.

Top Tracks: "Weed Instead of Roses" "You Got Me" and "The Morning After"

Guess what? Lot's of Gary Allan's new album sounds cool. Which may not come as a suprise, based on the lead single "Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)".

Though some of the songs could do without the cool production, as occasionally it's laid on too thickly.

The best example is "Bones". It may be trying to tell me something worth hearing but the problem is I can barely hear it because of the thick production and vocal effects.

Another one is "Drop". This one sounds better than "Bones", but the thickness is of equal quality to "Bones".

The bright spots come early. The album kicks off with the well written, well produced and well sung "Tough Goodbye". After that comes the excellent #1 hit, "Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)". Track 4, "It Ain't The Whiskey" is the best written track on the album and is very well sung, making it the albums strongest single.

"Hungover Heart is another well written song, but falls victim to overproduction. In a similar case, "Pieces" features excellent verses, but the chorus feels like it's beating you over the head.

"Sand In My Soul" and "No Worries" have lyrics that sound right out of the Kenny Chesney catalog.
Despite that one similarity, they are very different in terms of quality.

"Sand In My Soul" sounds mediocre at best, and it's Allan's worst vocal performances on the album.
"No Worries" sounds like something from the Buffett catalog. Fittingly, Allan sings like Buffett would have.

Overall, an album with several good songs, but few great songs, and a handfull of duds (many of which are thickly produced).

Maybe my expectations were a tad too high.


Top Tracks: "Tough Goodbye", "Every Storm (Runs Out Of Rain)", "It Ain't The Whiskey"