People Like Us

Muscle man Aaron Tippin is the kind of serviceable singer whose career tends to depend on timing. His first hit, "You've Got to Stand for Something," came out at the height of the Gulf War, and seemed to be about more than it really was. Now, his seventh studio album has taken wing on the strength of the smart-mouthed single "Kiss This," built around a woman's barroom response to her philandering mate. Would Tippin's label have even considered leading off with such a rude tune if not for the success of Montgomery Gentry, who's made hillbilly cheek chic again? Likely not. But in balancing redneck chutzpah with good-natured machismo ("Big Boy Toys"), sweet love songs ("Every Now and Then"), working-class anthems ("Twenty-Nine and Holding," which recognizes the courage of the single mom), and a dance number ("The Night Shift"), Tippin has turned out his most satisfying album since his debut. Those rippling muscles aside, nobody will ever mistake him for an industry heavyweight. Yet this South Carolinian with the in-your-face drawl does his mighty best to anchor the blue-collar bottom for Country's increasingly fluffy fare. --Alanna Nash