Easton Corbin - Easton Corbin (2010/2019)

If the honky tonk nation gathered and rejoiced publicly every time an artist came along with a sound steeped in the past which is rarer in the 21st century than a two-headed dog the cheers would have been deafening when Easton Corbin's "A Little More Country Than That" first hit the airwaves. The Top Ten single, from Corbin's 2010 self-titled album, is as old school as it gets. Producer Carson Chamberlain's new penny polish and Corbin's traditional twang balance each other out nicely. Corbin's debut is jam-packed with the sounds of yesterday. From the opening cut, the chugging "Roll with It," to the disc-closing "Leavin' a Lonely Town," a jangly number with stinging steel and forlorn fiddle, Corbin delivers a stone solid country collection. The latter could be a lost song from Steve Earle's groundbreaking Guitar Town sessions. The album's standout track, the cleverly titled "I Can't Love You Back," is a hardcore power ballad that aims straight for the heart. Corbin turns out a hanky-worthy vocal performance. Corbin's traditionally tinted voice isn't his only asset; the Florida native co-wrote four of the album's songs, including the funny-bone slam "That'll Make You Wanna Drink." Fans of George Strait will notice Corbin sounds a lot like "King George," which when you think about it, isn't really a bad thing at all. Now let's have a big cheer from the honky tonk nation.