Me and My Gang

With their fourth album, Rascal Flatts has firmly nailed down the country-pop formula that has made them one of the best-selling acts of recent years: take some soaring close harmony singing, throw in a pinch of rock, R&B, and gospel, and then have the finest engineers and producers in Nashville polish it to a silky sheen. There’s nothing unexpected here, but fans of the Grammy-winning trio will not be disappointed. The album is mostly made up of well-constructed power ballads with catchy melodies that are tailor-made for their strong voices, along with a few rockers, such as the title tune and “Backwards,” a footloose take on an old joke about what happens when you play a country record in reverse. They also mix things up a bit on “Yes I Do,” giving the song a light reggae rhythm that works surprisingly well. Smooth and enjoyable, <i>Me and My Gang</i> highlights exactly why these young guys are already veteran chart toppers.