Living Hard

Since coming on the country scene a decade ago, Gary Allan has become, if quietly, one of the genre's most reliably interesting artists. His seventh studio album, "Living Hard," a rocking aural assault that at times conjures ELO and the Beatles, continues his legacy. And while the rich production might overwhelm a lesser artist, Allan wears it like a pair of comfortable boots. First single "Watching Airplanes," replete with an amped-up string section, takes lost love songs to a different place. Other highlights include the cautionary "She's So California" and the title cut, a behind-the-curtains, driving tale of life on the road ("Welcome to my world for the next 90 minutes/I'll be baring my soul for the price of your ticket"). —Ken Tucker