The little Rascal gang is back

The pop/country group Rascal Flatts is at it again. Me and My Gang, the group's fourth album to date, is still jam packed with the love ballads and inspirational "keep fighting, there's a better day tomorrow" type songs, however, there is still something missing from this album. \nGang starts off with "Stand," a song similar to the title track from the group's last album, Feels Like Today. The song calls listeners to persevere despite obstacles placed in front of them with lyrics like, "Cause when push comes to shove / You taste what you're made of / You might bend, till you break." Songs like this seem like they are becoming a staple for Rascal Flatts releases.\nUp next, is the first single they released from this album, "What Hurts the Most." This song was also recently released on Mark Wills' album, And the Crowd Goes Wild. These dueling reminds me of Trisha Yearwood and LeAnn Rimes fighting over who was going to sing "How do I live." It seems to be a popular theme in country music, having multiple artists cover the same song; ultimately this song works well for Rascal Flatts and not so well for Wills. "What Hurts the Most" is one of my favorite songs on the album, a true heart-break love song. \nAnother notable song on the album is "Pieces," a song about reflections and just how hard it can be to let someone you love go. Anyone who thinks they can be friends with someone who has broken up with them should listen to this song on repeat. This song plays off the R.I.P (rest in peace) that is placed on peoples' graves, instead asking the woman/man doing the heart breaking to let the one with the broken-heart rest in pieces. \nFinally, the most laughable song on the album is "Backwards," which plays off the stereotype of what most country songs are about. "And he said / Ya wanna know what ya get / When you play a country song backwards / Ya get your house back / Ya get your dog back / Ya get your best friend Jack back." This song is definitely funny and the sound reminds me a lot of John Michael Montgomery's "Sold (The Grundy County Auction Incident)."\nThere is nothing really new on this album for Rascal Flatts. The group continues to make music that appeals to their fans and this isn't the most appealing of albums so far. It might be worth a listen if you are a dedicated Rascal Flatts fan, but it's definitely not their best showing.