You Do Your Thing
There's always been a consistency of vision in the work of Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry. Their barroom roots virtually ignore trends. The music is of the moment, yet it hearkens to the best ofHank Jr.(who guests on "I Ain't Got It All That Bad"),Jennings,Haggard, andJones. The lack of pretense, a constant in their past work, is still in evidence here. "Gone" is a tough chronicle of final, irreversible breakup, similarly explored on "All I Know About Mexico," and each reflects pain with nary a whit of syrupy sentiment. Even when waxing romantic, as they do on "If You Ever Stop Loving Me" and the reflective domestic saga "She Loved Me," a diamond-hard edge remains. "I Got Drunk" explores a timeless theme with a guileless lack of remorse. Not even the air of sweet contentment on "It's All Good" emits the wussy faux-sensitivity that too many singers use as a glib device. Given the consistency and the solid material, only one mystery remains: why did they divide the songs betweenfourproducers?--Rich Kienzle