Rascal Flatts still cool

         The country-pop band Rascal Flatts released their brand new album, Nothing Like This, on November 16. As per their usual success, the album continues to reflect the band's versatility and ability to adapt to current popular music, while also holding on to their country roots. 

          This album has already produced a hit single, and strives to continue the band's popularity. Since its inception, Rascal Flatts has been composed of three members: Gary LeVox (lead vocals), Jay DeMarcus (bass guitar, keyboards/piano, vocals), and JoeDon Rooney (lead guitar, vocals).  Rascal Flatts has released seven studio albums (all of which have been certified Platinum and/or Multi-Platinum) and a greatest hits album. In that time they've released 27 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including ten number ones. Their number one singles include: "Bless the Broken Road", "What Hurts the Most", "My Wish", "Stand", "Take Me There", and "Here Comes Goodbye". The group has an uncommon youth demographic (18-25) for country music, where the average listener is 44 years old.  

         This album makes use of the band's talents with several different instruments as well as the regular country set. The title track of the album, Nothing Like This, is a slow, orchestral-sounding ballad that is loving and heartfelt. The band's ability to deliver powerful, emotional songs has always been one of their trademarks, and it is made apparent by several songs on the album. Another song that holds true to this style is "Easy", a sad song that features Natasha Bedingfield. The song comes from the perspectives of a man and woman, both recovering from their break-up, claiming that seeing each other out and about and having fun is easy to do, but how they don't know hard it really is for both of them. The hit single on the album is the already popular "Why Wait", which remains much more upbeat and fun-sounding than the aforementioned songs. The song chronicles a man that convinces his sweetheart to get married immediately because there's no point in waiting. The song has a hopeful and confident note to it, and while it does admit that doing something like that is crazy, anyone who's been really in love knows what that's like.

         The album is definitely not one of Rascal Flatts' best, but it does show a lot of promise. At this rate, the band will continue to be successful, and may someday enter the country music hall of fame.