Brooks & Dunn
sat out much of the 2010s, playing a few shows in Vegas during the middle of the decade but otherwise sticking to the retirement they announced in 2009. Delivered a decade later,
Reboot
eases the duo back into active duty, pairing
Kix Brooks
and
Ronnie Dunn
with 12 young stars. The idea is to emphasize the connection between
and the new generation, a gambit that often pays off.
Luke Combs
-- the singer whose
B&D
fandom helped get this project off the ground -- eases in between
on "Brand New Man,"
Brothers Osborne
pound "Hard Workin' Man" into the ground,
Jon Pardi
ties "My Next Broken Heart" tightly to its hardcore honky tonk roots, and
Midland
turns in a swinging version of "Boot Scootin' Boogie."
sounds a little uneasy whenever
venture outside of this rockin' country wheelhouse. While
Kacey Musgraves
successfully shapes "Neon Moon" to her
Golden Hour
contours,
Brett Young
dissipates on an overly slick "Ain't Nothing About You," the drum loops on
Thomas Rhett
's version of "My Maria" rob the tune of its ramshackle charm, and
Kane Brown
disappears into the smooth surroundings of "Believe." These cuts aren't stumbles as much as confirmation that
may be a tad too old to learn new tricks, but the rest of
proves that they're still adept at sounding big and burly nearly 30 years after their debut. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine