Somewhat remarkably, the youthful trio Rascal Flatts has an uncanny ability to sound 20-something going on 13. They are often dismissed as just another slick, contrived "boy band," though that hasn't kept them from chart-topping success. Admittedly, these Rascals do sound slick and even generic on run-of-the-mill teem anthems like "Fast Cars and Freedom" and "The Day Before You." Yet, on a few shining tracks like "Bless the Broken Road," "When the Sand Runs Out," and a lovely hidden cut called "Skin," the chic threesome also betrays poise, maturity, and thoughtfulness amid its chart-conscious predictability. --Bob Allen
