Around the Bend

Randy Travis’ first (mostly) secular album since 1999’s A Man Ain’t Made of Stone succeeds in part thanks to a set of particularly well-chosen songs and the always-reliable touch of Randy’s longtime producer Kyle Lehning. But it’s Randy’s own towering voice that really elevates Around the Bend above most of the competition—when he gets hold of a winner like Bob Dylan’s “Don’t Think Twice, It’s Alright” or the urgent “’Til I’m Dead and Gone,” it’s obvious that one of country’s finest vocalists is still operating at the peak of his powers after more than two decades.