Late Nights and Longnecks

Mainstream country's traditionalist revolution has reached a fever pitch with the new album from Justin Moore, Late Nights and Longnecks, and not just because Moore looks sharp in a cowboy hat. Full of slick, modern production—this isn't a record that is actually trying to sound old—Moore makes a case for catchy, contemporary twang with a savvy sheen. From expert party anthems ("Why We Drink") to rock-flavored odes to those lost in combat ("The Ones That Didn't Make It Back Home") to piano ballads with a bit of soulful swing ("On the Rocks"), Moore delivers a complete and comprehensive album with a song for almost every life moment—particularly if that life moment is experienced from a front porch or a fishing dock south of the Mason-Dixon. And yes, that cowboy hat sure looks sharp, too.