Aaron Lines (RCA)
Canadian country newcomer Aaron Lines, 24, isn't the best singer among Nashville's Maple Leaf brigade. At his best he comes off like a Bruce Springsteen knockoff; at his worst he has a frail, reedy Brad Paisley sound. Nor is Lines's songwriting likely to make anyone forget Hank Williams Jr. or even countryman Bruce Cockburn. Although he cowrote eight of his debut's 11 tunes, he didn't have a hand in composing the best cut, "You Can't Hide Beautiful," a touching paean to women who doubt their own attractiveness. The other tracks are overproduced and routine; "You Get the Picture" sports what sounds like a "Ghostbusters" groove.
BOTTOM LINE: Uneven Lines
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