5th Gear (Bonus Track Version)

By his fifth album, Brad Paisley had mastered the art of modern country songwriting, filling his tunes with irresistible melodies and side-splitting turns of phrase. On "Letter to Me", he drafts a message to his younger self, suggesting that he drive less recklessly and know that things will turn out alright in the end. "Some Mistakes" rides a rhythm that's as excited and as optimistic as its lyrics, while the rocking "Ticks" finds Paisley winkingly offering to check his date for bugs.