My Town (Columbia, 2002)

Brooks & Dunn cornered country's market on duets a decade ago. Their status as heads of the heap has gone virtually unchallenged until now. With their third and finest release, Montgomery Gentry inches ever closer to overtaking B&D as country's most dynamic duo. Produced by Blake Chancey (Oak Ridge Boys, Barbara Mandrell, etc.), the 13 songs strike few new paths. Locked into a winning style, no need exists for drastic change.

Look at Montgomery Gentry as a refined country Southern rock outfit.

Built on a formula that includes equal parts Southern rock and country, Eddie Montgomery and Troy Gentry owe as much to the Allman Brothers as they do to Waylon Jennings. Consider this. The bridge between the Allmans and Jennings travels quite a short distance.

However hard-core country fans would rightly never refer to "Good Clean Fun" as a country tune, yet could not argue with "Lonesome." Much as Brooks & Dunn proved, a sound that lies somewhere in the middle will sell gobs of records if approached with good songs.