Macon, Georgia (Broken Bow, 2022)

Jason Aldean's 10th studio album "Georgia "initially seems like yeoman's effort. As the second half of a double album that follows last year's "Macon," the collection boasts 30 songs; 20 are new. It is a more than a respectable length for a single album. The remainder of the effort is padded with live tracks. The obvious question is why so long? In Adean's case, he said he has always leaned toward having more songs than less. Upon a sit down listen you get the feeling the live block was included to power up an uncharacteristic mid-tempo collection that is a departure for him. There is no trace of the bruising career makers like "Burnin' It Down" or "Night Train."

Aldean has typically not addressed the sad side of life in his songs, but there is plenty of heartbreak here. The opening three tracks lead off with the Morgan Wallen-penned "Whiskey Me Away," and all take place in a breakup scenario.

Some of the muscular titles are deceiving. "Ain't Enough Cowboy" is one of the better song titles this year and suggests traditional imagery and sound. Instead, it is a three-minute breezy synth pop ride. Conversely, some redemption is found in "Rock and Roll Cowboy." It is not necessarily more country, but it does have more teeth and grit than the rest of the collection. Aldean may have had a chart topper in 2015 with "Tonight Looks Good on You," but slower tempos do not look good on him.