Gary Allan TOUGH ALL OVER

Personnel: Gary Allan (vocals); Kenny Greenberg (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Hank Singer (fiddle); The Nashville String Machine (strings); Kirk "Jelly Roll" Johnson (harmonica); Steve Nathan (piano, Hammond b-3 organ, synthesizer); Michael Rhodes (bass instrument); John Wesley Ryles, Wes Hightower, Russell Terrell, Perry Coleman (background vocals); Jake Kelly, John Willis (acoustic guitar); Brent Rowan (electric guitar); Chad Cromwell (drums); Eric Darken (percussion).
Audio Mixer: Greg Droman.
Recording information: House Of Gain, Nashville, TN; Sound Kitchen, Nashville, TN.
Photographer: Tony Baker & His Orchestra.
In following up his exceptionally strong 2003 release, SEE IF I CARE, country singer Gary Allan opted to stick to his New Traditionalist guns, resulting in another compelling set of songs. TOUGH ALL OVER opens boldly with the rock-tinged title track (penned in part by Jim Lauderdale), and proceeds to mix sensitive ballads ("Best I Ever Had" and "Life Ain't Always Beautiful") with twangy mid-tempo tunes ("I Just Got Back from Hell"). The standout song, however, is "Nickajack Cave (Johnny Cash's Redemption)," an intriguing narrative about the Man in Black's darkest days that hints at Cash's signature sound without attempting to duplicate it.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Country