Deric Ruttan

Life in a small town is universal, no matter where you are. Canadian-born Deric, who co-wrote “What Was I Thinkin’” for Dierks Bentley, revels in his rural childhood on his third solo project. The banjo snippets in “Sing That Song Again” are reminiscent of Keith Urban, but Deric’s music lingers towards the middle of the road. Even with a nice guitar solo, “Up All Night” doesn’t capture the energy of a raucous night spent drinking with friends. “Where the Train Don’t Stop,” a tribute to Deric’s hometown, sounds perfectly all-American with its tales of Saturday nights in the bar and Sunday mornings at church. Sunshine is perfectly competent, but comes off conservative and complacent.