I was telling my editor the other day that I've always hated Country music with a passion, but I've been changing my mind lately thanks to watered-down (and near pop) acts like Dixie Chicks, Shania Twain and Garth Brooks. Let's call that kind of music "countrypop."

"Waco Brothers" is the same kind of music, only they lean more toward the pop side than C&W ("popcountry"). "Wacoworld" starts with a strong southern rock taste, and quickly switches to country and some blues. Sometimes you could even swear Stevie Ray Vaughan's ghost haunted their recording studio.

The tracks are an even mix of pop and country, and some people are going to have a hard time figuring out what is "Waco Brothers" main line. Interesting, the singer doesn't try to push the accent, which makes them sound sincere and unique. I had to mention this because one of my usual complaints about C&W is that everybody (with very few exceptions) sounded the same.

The pop side of the equation is interesting. "Day Of The Dead" is a catchy tune and could pull some serious airplay. "Good For Me" is a fast and furious country-rock piece, with a little bit of Bob Seger and Garth Brooks. "Westworld" would make for an interesting crossover CD for somebody that is curious about country or maybe southern rock fans, but for hardcore country fans it might feel a bit weak.