Like Red On a Rose

Even though Alan Jackson’s 2006 album was produced by none other than Alison Krauss, it contains nary a trace of the rootsy, old-school sound on which he built his career. Instead, it's one of the neo-trad hero's most overtly contemporary-sounding releases, full of reflective, lovelorn tunes like the soul-inflected title track and the gentle Leon Russell cover “Bluebird.” Both introspective and mature, it’s a confident statement of versatility from one of country music’s 21st-century icons.