Brooks & Dunn - 'Red Dirt Road'

On Red Dirt Road, Kix Brooks & Ronnie Dunn have taken the influences of their youth and created a project that reflects the many facets that make them the people they are today. The album is filled with music that is not only country, but gospel, bluegrass, soul and rock 'n roll -- all done in the Brooks & Dunn style. This is a collection sure to please many country fans.

You can never say that all of Brooks & Dunn's music sounds the same, and this album is a prime example, with a vast selection of styles of songs. From the honky tonk style of "You Can't Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl" to the Gospel sound of "Holy War," this album perfectly represents the varied types of music that Kix and Ronnie grew up with.

While Ronnie sings lead on most of the songs, Kix sings lead on "When We Were Kings," "Memory Town," "Till My Dying Day," "Good Day To Be Me," and "Good Cowboy."

"My Baby's Everything I Love" is a song I think would do well on radio. It's got a great honky tonk feel, very reminiscent of "Boot Scootin' Boogie." "My baby's like a trip to town, radio up, top rolled down. Can't get my fill, I can't get enough. My baby's everything I love." Lots of fun and sure to be a favorite to dance to.

"I Used To Know This Song by Heart" reminds me of something Billy Joel would write. It's piano-infused, and is a mix of gospel and blues, and the song allows Ronnie to really show off his incredible voice.

"Good Cowboy" has a very ZZ Top sound to it, at least to me. Kix sings lead on this in an funky country blues style. "When you look at me with those eyes, it makes me start to fantasize. Do it to me like I know you could, so I can do it to you like a cowboy should."

While I enjoyed all the songs on the album, some of them I can't imagine on radio. The final song was written by Ronnie and is very gospel sounding. It's different than anything I've heard Brooks & Dunn do before. It's the hidden track, "Holy War." It's got a backing choir on it, along with hand clapping. Ronnie definitely pulls from his theological background to get in the spirit of the song.

All in all, I can really recommend this album to any country music fan, as I think there is something here for everyone.