Hillbilly Deluxe

The eleventh studio album by Brooks & Dunn expands on the Rolling Stones-like attitude of *Red Dirt Road* and its runaway hit “Can’t Take the Honky Tonk Out of the Girl.” *Hillbilly Deluxe* incorporates elements of blues, soul and classic rock, as the duo fleshes out its sound with horns, organs and gospel backing vocals. Even as it celebrates Southern sounds and takes pride in “being a George Strait junkie,” “Play Some Country” has the uproariously raunchy energy of Lynyrd Skynyrd or the George Satellites. The rootsy swagger of “She Likes To Get Out of Town” and “Whiskey Do My Talkin’” is drawn directly from the Stones circa *Sticky Fingers*, but other songs take a more modern approach. For example, “Hillbilly Deluxe” rides a gritty stomp befitting Kid Rock. But *Hillbilly Deluxe* isn’t all about barnstorming riffs. The second half of the album slows down considerably with several ballads, the most striking of which is “Believe,” a gospel story-song that features some of Dunn’s most impassioned singing to date.

Discover Hillbilly Deluxe by Brooks & Dunn released in 2005. Find album reviews, track lists, credits, awards and more at AllMusic.