Trace Adkins - Comin' On Strong (2003)

For Comin' on Strong, Adkins rejoins producer Scott Hendricks, who discovered the rangy Louisiana native in the '90s, signed him to a recording contract, and helmed his initial hits. On Chrome, Adkins's previous release, producer Dan Huff had taken him the predictable pop route--and scored a top five album--but apart from his perfect fit with blue-collar themes, Adkins never sounded completely at home with the album's gussied-up backgrounds. Now Hendricks brings him back to a rootsier sound and makes the most of his distinctive, deep-sea baritone, the likes of which country hasn't heard since Ed Bruce's early-'80s hits. "Missing You," which captures the loneliness of a oil driller far from home, is one of several tunes that show a new maturity and believability in the singer's material, just as "I'd Sure Hate to Break Down Here" and "One Nightstand" again prove Adkins's ability to convey vulnerability in an ultra-masculine fashion. Yet none of those tracks are likely to receive as much attention as "Hot Mama," a tune of middle-aged lust that's sure to keep Adkins popular with both polyester-clad Wal-Mart shoppers and jaded radio programmers, the real gatekeepers of any country singer's career. --Alanna Nash