Joe Nichols, the man that previously brought us “Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off” in 2005, opens his latest album, It’s All Good, with another track for a potential strip club anthem collection called “Take It Off.” However, the most revealing thing on Nichols’ latest project is that honeyed voice of his, so please don’t notify Westboro Baptist Church protesters.

While “Take It Off” is a good time country song, it’s the gentler “I Can’t Take My Eyes off You” that particularly stands out from the pack. In the chorus, Nichols admits, “You could tell me there’s two full moons hanging up there in the sky,” but he’d be oblivious. It’s a wonderful song lyric because it mentions all of what this guy is missing while he’s so enthralled with the girl.

Nichols’ hints at the world’s hard times in a few places, but these reactions have all the urgency of a Jimmy Buffett beach song. “No Truck, No Boat, No Girl” tells the tale of a guy who’s luck has turned for the worse. However, he doesn’t sound all too intent upon finding that high paying job that will bring all the toys back into his yard. With its laidback vocal, it has all the desperation and frustration of a day when the fish weren’t biting particularly well. On “It’s All Good,” Nichols whines – but just a little – about how his life is less than perfect. He’s got the

What’s most noteworthy about this latest Nichols release is how the artist has grown and matured as a vocalist. In the past, it might have been said that Nichols tried a little too please with his vocal abilities. Now, however, he just sounds so comfortable in his own skin. He doesn’t need to overdo it these days. In fact, on the song “It’s All Good” he’s nearly a dead ringer for the relaxed master, George Strait.

Rarely does Nichols sound like he’s even breaking a sweat, whether vocally or emotionally. One exception is the regretful “Somebody’s Mama,” which David Lee Murphy and Kim Tribble wrote. It begins with the scene of a man getting a tattoo of the word ‘freedom’ to cover up another one that says ‘angel.’ The ‘angel’ was originally there to remind him of a girl he used to love -- or so he tells the tattoo artist. (It’s obvious from the tone of the song that this guy still loves that girl). He broke off from his ‘angel’ because “all she wanted was babies,” and he was “too young to slow down.” He imagines this former sweetheart is probably wealthy and happy now. You’re left with the nagging impression that the guy wishes desperately he was the daddy to her children now.

Nothing about It’s All Good will blow your socks off. However, much like a typical George Strait album, this CD is high quality from start to finish. Yep, it’s all good.

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