If you're a fan of Bucky Covington but haven't yet bought 'Good Guys,' breathe easy. You've already heard over half the album. Seven of the 12 songs are retreads from his 'I'm Alright' EP or the unreleased Lyric Street album, or they're songs he's released to radio in the last 12 months. 

A few -- like 'A Father's Love' -- deserved to be immortalized on CD, while others, like the Nickleback cover 'Gotta Be Somebody,' would have been better left forgotten. The heart of the album is sensitive ballads like the understated 'I'm Alright' and 'Hold a Woman,' Covington's try at country-soul. It's not a perfect fit, but one must give the 34-year-old credit for stretching his artistry. His performance is sincere, but the song is lyrically lacking.

"You got to hold a woman / To hold a woman," Covington sings. Along with 'I Wanna Be That Feeling' and the generic, piano-heavy 'Sail On,' the album begs for some tempo.

'Drinking Side of Country' (with Shooter Jennings) and 'Mama Must Be Prayin'' provide some needed punch, with the Jennings duet being the album's highlight. 'Mexicoma' is a good effort as well, but it's one too many styles by the time one arrives to it at track No. 9.

"I'm living in a Mexicoma / I'm smelling that tequila aroma," Covington sings on the sun and surf-inspired cut.

With the inclusion of the seven known songs (including 'I Want My Life Back'), 'Good Guys' feels more like an album this singer finally got around to arranging instead of one that speaks to where he is as an artist right now. It's a quasi-hits package rather than a new addition to his catalog. Covington is talented enough to do better, and the fans that have stuck with him through his ups and downs deserve better.

2 Stars
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