Sevens (Capitol) (star) (star) (star)
Though it’s easy to be turned off by the hype that attends Brooks’ every move, there’s no denying his ability to create highly listenable — if not very challenging — material to suit a wide variety of tastes. His seventh album gets off to a spirited start with Steve Wariner-Rick Carnes’ sharp honky-tonk ditty, “Longneck Bottle,” and bounces from Eagles-style country (“Cowboy Cadillac”) to Jimmy Buffett pop (“Two Pina Coladas”) to neo-folk (“Belleau Wood”), reaching an emotional peak with “In Another’s Eyes,” his chart-topping duet with Trisha Yearwood. Brooks’ enthusiasm for his job is bolstered by the musicianship of steel player Bruce Bouton, guitarist Chris Leuzinger and fiddler Rob Hajacos, as well as New Grass Revival’s backing on “Do What You Gotta Do.