Joe Nichols

A lot happened in Joe Nichols' life between the release of this album and his previous one. He had ups (marrying his longtime sweetheart) and downs (a stint in rehab), and it's all reflected in Old Things New. Nichols' gorgeously deep baritone rings with truth and conviction, and so do the songs that he sings, like the striking "An Old Friend of Mine" (about a man who finally decides to get sober), "Gimme That Girl" (having the girl-next-door) and "This Bed's Too Big" (ooh la la!). Among all the pop-enhanced country music, Nichols' neo-traditionalist twang is like a salve for the soul.