Hardy | A Rock
Country rock gets a reboot with hit songwriter Hardy’s debut LP. Showing a handle on modern vernacular that’s second to none and all the chest-thumping energy of a Friday night frat house, A Rock is both party-ready and deceptively deep. These truck anthems have a secretly refined interior.
Carrie Underwood | My Gift
Carrie Underwood aims to brighten a coronavirus Christmas with her first holiday album. Wrapping pristine vocals into orchestral arrangements on new originals and classic favorites, she highlights the spirituality of the season—and 5-year-old son, Isaiah, on “Little Drummer Boy.”
Elizabeth Cook | Aftermath
Elizabeth Cook makes her phoenix-like intentions clear on the first notes of Aftermath, a bold change of pace for the Americana maven. Ascending into the roots-pop stratosphere, she’s reborn from personal tragedy for an exhilarating set of creative-freedom chasing, just for the hell of it.
Lauren Alaina | Getting Over Him EP
Rising star Lauren Alaina continues to add contour to her catalog on Getting Over Him, a six-song country collection that includes big-name duets and finds her kissing a high-profile breakup goodbye. Featuring a modern sound that avoids overproduction, she begins a new artistic chapter.
Reba McEntire | Rumor Has It (30th Anniversary Edition)
Reba McEntire turns the calendar back to 1990 with the re-release of Rumor Has It. Thirty years after the watershed album started a new era with the now iconic “Fancy,” the diva offers two new versions of that theatrical hit: a dance remix and a live-acoustic performance from The Ryman.