I am one to say I am not the biggest country fan in the entire world. But one album really sparked my interest.

Me and My Gang, the fifth album from the Grammy nominated group Rascal Flatts, takes country music to a whole new level. Going into listening to it, the thought of the twangy, true country came to mind. However, after listening to the album in its entirety, the assumption proved wrong.

After buying this, I went to purchase the group’s other albums. The follow-up to the 2004 albumFeels Like Today surpasses all of the other Rascal Flatts albums. The album still has that country feeling, but Rascal Flatts brought in some pop influence for the tracks.

With this album, the group sings about love and heartbreak, as usual, but has a few songs on the album fans can relate to. “What Hurts The Most,” the first single off Me and My Gang, deals with the problems of breaking up with someone and the emotions one goes through afterwards. For this song, it touches the heart with its lyrics and the melody. “What Hurts The Most” may have catchy lyrics you can sing to, but the meaning of the song is what catches the attention of Rascal Flatt’s listeners.

One song I really enjoy listening to over and over is the first track on the album called “Stand.” The lyrics show how one may fall or make mistakes, but one has to shake it off and go on with life. For me, the song has the inspiration to keep me going in life despite what it may throw at me. The title of the song explains it all. You have to stand up even though you may be knocked down.

“Me And My Gang,” the title track to the album, is a fun, upbeat song for everyone to enjoy. Despite the addictive lyrics you can sing to, this is definitely a song you can dance to. As the lyrics suggest, “we live to ride, we ride to live;” it’s a party and have fun with life.

Much like “Skin (Sarabeth)” off Feels Like Today, which told about a young girl with cancer, “Ellsworth” tells the story of a grandmother who is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease. Rascal Flatts manages to pull together a wonderful song with a message. It may be a sad story, but it brings in attention. Hopefully, this will end up as a single like “Skin” for the group.

Other songs that bring inspiration and heart are “My Wish” and “Pieces.” Again, they deal with break up, but the lyrics are poetic and let you see the things in a new light.

I really enjoyed this album and thought it was the best out of the four. Rascal Flatts is an amazing group with a heart of gold. They never back down on the great vocal arrangements and thought-felt lyrics; they keep raising the bar in the country music industry. The group never leaves any of their fans disappointed. I certainly was not.