White Trash With Money (ShowDog Nashville, 2006)

While his scuffle with the Dixie Chicks behind him, Toby Keith's latest has him offering up a bit of Bocephus with the swinging, toe-tapping country rocker "Get Drunk And Be Somebody." It's not as polished as previous singles, which is a bonus.

The usual beer-swilling sing-alongs are apparent, but he falls off the rails with the summery and terribly rich arrangement on "A Little Too Late" best left for Kenny Chesney or Jimmy Buffett. The swampy "Can't Buy You Money" is okay, but again seems to leave the listener lukewarm as does the ballad-based "Crash Here Tonight" that recalls Ronnie Milsap to some extent.

But when Keith hits it right, he seems to hit a home run as is the case with the radio-friendly and quite catchy "Grain Of Salt" with its Hammond organ, horns and fiddle. From there though the moody and dark "I Ain't Already There" comes off like Nickelback if they attempted country.

The highlight has to be the tight, pop rock sizzle of "Note To Self" and "Hell No." But the slower, country narrative "Ain't No Right Way" also works while discussing prayer in the classroom.