Brantley Gilbert THE DEVIL DON'T SLEE

Brantley Gilbert may sing about not breaking the bro code but he eagerly breaks the code of bro country. That much was apparent on Just as I Am, the 2014 album that generated the smash hit "Bottoms Up," the single that cemented Gilbert's stardom, but The Devil Don't Sleep -- the 2017 sequel to Just as I Am -- makes it plain that Gilbert intends to separate himself from his party-hearty brethren. If Gilbert sounds like anybody, it's Jason Aldean -- Brantley wrote several of Jason's hits including "Dirt Road Anthem," but the connection goes further than that; "Way Back" even has a skittish electronic beat reminiscent of "Burnin' It Down" -- but he manages to spin his grinding minor-key midtempo tunes into a place that doesn't seem morose. Pensive, sure -- Gilbert can make a weekend out partying seem like a brooding affair -- but he rarely seems dour on the bigger, bolder tunes, all of which sound like they're just on the verge of cutting loose. This reticence toward rocking accentuates h