Album Number Two (Deluxe Version)

iTunes Review

On Album Number Two, Joey + Rory grapple with the dreaded sophomore-album jinx and emerge triumphant; here, the husband-and-wife duo dispels any doubts that their success was mostly the result of TV exposure. Joey asserts herself in the role of a strong yet vulnerable country diva, while Rory upholds his part as versatile songwriter and occasional lead vocalist. The pair’s own roller-coaster ride in show business is addressed in the title tune and (indirectly) “Farm to Fame.” Classic country themes of fidelity (“Born to Be Your Woman”), fatherhood (“My Ol’ Man”) and America’s forgotten workers (“This Song’s for You,” featuring Zac Brown) are handled with a sensitive, believable touch. Joey connects with her inner Loretta on the feisty “God Help My Man” and the sweetly scathing “Baby I’ll Come Back to You.” “You Ain’t Right” — a portrait of a dysfunctional good ol’ boy — adds some down-home humor. Keith Stegall’s production combines rootsy acoustic sounds with just enough radio-friendly gloss to keep things mainstream.