Dim: Rascal Flatts - Changed

The change alluded to in the title of Rascal Flatts' Changed refers to the trio's embrace of self-production of its eighth album, but longtime followers and casual observers alike can be forgiven for thinking nothing is different here. Like any of Rascal Flatts' records, Changed is a smooth machine pumping out arena-country anthems and power ballads, interrupted by the occasional silly novelty or platform-jumping crossover. Here, they're not rubbing elbows with the likes of Natasha Bedingfield -- the British diva who didn't help the group break through in the U.K., but their "Easy" did reach the U.S. Adult Contemporary Top 20, which admittedly isn't foreign territory for Rascal Flatts -- and they've toned down the brightness that gave 2010's Nothing Like This some cheer, a subdued shift that's evident even on goofy roof-raising party tunes like "Banjo" (or "Friday" on its expanded Deluxe Edition; regrettably, it is not a Rebecca Black cover). Changed marches to a deliberate beat, the tempos shifting only slightly when things get either insistent or gentle, the group layering its harmonies heavily on both the soft and loud numbers, giving every cut a candied gloss. Taken in one sitting, this can be too sweet, but that's largely due to that unwavering beat and how it makes everything blend together, with the melodies not being quite strong enough to give the slickness definition. Which isn't to say that there aren't songs that announce themselves, in ways both good (the cool assured adult contemporary pulse of "Hot in Here") and bad (the repetition of "She's Leaving" is an instant irritation), but Changed always errs on the side of caution. And perhaps that says a lot about Rascal Flatts: when left to their own devices, they take fewer risks than usual.

Based on Critics - 35/50

Based on Public - 33/50

Based on Hype - 27

Based on Pop Flares - 30/50

Overall:

Exclusive Album Leak: Rascal Flatts - Changed

Changed is the upcoming eighth studio album by country music group Rascal Flatts. It is their second studio album release after signing with Big Machine Records, and will be released on April 3, 2012. The band released the album's debut single, "Banjo," on January 17, 2012.


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Dim: Rascal Flatts - Nothing Like This

The official album cover for Nothing Like This

After the lethargic hubris of Rascal Flatts’ sixth album Unstoppable it seemed like the friendly trio had settled into a carefully calculated rut so it’s good to hear that switching labels for 2010’s Nothing Like This has revived the band considerably. Nothing Like This doesn’t offer anything new - if ever there was a band adverse to risk, it’s Rascal Flatts who have never strayed from the sunny sound of their 2000 debut - but everything from the melodies to the very sound of the tight 11-track record seems brighter than the trio’s last few records. Certainly, Rascal Flatts have made a conscious decision to not drift toward sleepiness, injecting a high number of propulsive tunes into the body of the record. Several of these have the echoing pulse of an arena - the opening “Why Wait,” “All Night To Get There” - but they also ride “Red Camero” on chords reminiscent of “Life Is A Highway,” jauntily skip through “Play” and take “Tonight Tonight” to the verge of rock & roll. Naturally, they haven’t abandoned ballads, going so far as to enlist Natasha Bedingfield for a questionable stab at pop radio crossover, but the emphasis isn’t these slow, swaying numbers, the album is all about balance, all about executing the usual with precision. It’s a fresh coat of paint on a sturdy old house.

Based on Critic - 40/50

Based on Public - 33/50

Based on Album Planning - 3/50

Based on Leaked Records - 30/50

Overall:

[I Don't Mind Being Thanks]