Listening to a new Rascal Flatts album is like that pair of trusty old boots; you know what the experience will be like.  The trio has gotten popular precisely because they hit upon a formula of anthem-like power ballads and guitar driven up-tempo, 'fun' tracks that can sometimes border on the silly.  "Unstoppable" primarily follows this formula so if you're already angered by the prospect of Rascal Flatts' not deviating from it, then you probably never cared for the trio anyway.  

First single "Here Comes Goodbye" starts off as a slow-building ballad of anticipation and eventually snowballs into a prototypical Rascal Flatts power ballad.  "Close" is a pop song with drum loops and a banjo plucking in the background to keep the Jay Demarcus, Michael Dulaney and Jason Sellers in the country realm.  It's a song that finds the trio singing about all the ways the word "close" reminds a woman about the loss of her man.  The strangest thing about the lyric is that it feels too 'sunny' compared to the melody.  One would've expected a lyric like this to be backed by an anguished melody instead.  Jason Sellers also co-wrote "Love Who You Love" with Neil Thrasher and Paul Jenkins and the song, when you strip it down from the cascading power ballad arrangement, has a lyric that speaks to multiple types of relationships and feels as if it's purposely left open to interpretation.  

The band goes the route of Keith Urban, Sugarland and other Arena-ready acts on the tracks "She'd Be California," and "Summer Nights."  "California," Another Paul Jenkins and Jason Sellers co-write, this time with Tim Nichols ("Live Like You Were Dying"), starts off with a U2-like arrangement and switches into something that mixes in strings, and other layers of instruments to present something that's ready for movie soundtracks ("Cars 2" perhaps?).  "Nights," which Levox co-wrote with Brett James and Busbee also is ready for the good times to keep rolling and it just has the melodic feel of something perfect for a poolside party this coming summer which makes the song the obvious song for summer 2009.

The last few albums have not only featured cuts written by Jeffrey Steele but Rascal Flatts, like Montgomery Gentry, have released the prolific songwriter's songs and seen them become chart toppers so it's only natural that they'd include at least one Steele cut on "Unstoppable" and that cut is the song "Once," which Jeffrey wrote with John Shanks and American Idol's 4th judge Kara DioGuardi.  The song, which features a catch chorus and a melodic lyrical structure akin to 80s and early 90s power ballads, will likely be a future single and could follow "What Hurts The Most" into crossover territory.  

Each album released by the trio has ended with a song that either is about overcoming personal problems or dealing with social situations and for this album, "Why" the trio has found what might be their best album-ending track since their self-titled debut's "I'm Moving On."  Levox has NEVER sounded better vocally and sings the questioning lyrics that make up the Allen Shamblin and Rob Mathes song.  The song finds a guy asking why a friend would choose to 'leave the stage in the middle of the song."  This is the kind of song that got me to personally like Rascal Flatts and it's certainly the best track on "Unstoppable" and There's gotta be "Song of the Year" accolades somewhere down the line for this song as it's that powerful.

Rascal Flatts continue to be a band that traditionalists, internet messageboardies and bloggers love to hate so with "Unstoppable" Rascal Flatts were going to have to fight an uphill battle.  While the album may only fan the fires of these people's dislike of the band, those that do like Rascal Flatts' music or pop-leaning country will like what they hear and if there's one song that should unite everyone in 'praising' Rascal Flatts, it's a song like the album ending "Why."  (Note: JC Penny's album release features the bonus track "American Living").