Tim Mcgraw and the Dancehall Doctors

Retreating to a studio in upstate New York, they recorded 15 keepers. Only one, a cover of Elton John's "Tiny Dancer", lands with a thud, as McGraw tries to duplicate John's vocal nuances and never takes control of the song. But elsewhere, he and the band are surprisingly emotional, soulful and vulnerable. Together, they turn "Red Ragtop", a song about teen lovers who abort their child, into a universal lyric about choices and regrets, and fashion the two songs about revisiting the people and places that shape who you are ("Sing Me Home", "Home") into something profound. The album sags in spots, and McGraw and his coproducers misstep in adding faux R&B vocal washes here and there. But this is a good, solid effort. --Alanna Nash