Maybe it shouldn't be a surprise, but Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's first album together, "The Rest of Our Life" (Arista Nashville / McGraw Music), is a remarkably balanced affair.
The country power couple is well-matched, even if McGraw has been more focused on touring and acting in recent years, as Hill focused on raising their three daughters. And these songs are true duets, with both of them singing in unison or harmony much of the time. That makes the album a little ballad-heavy, though considering how well their voices fit together, it's not really a drawback.
The title track is a gorgeous ballad, co-written by Ed Sheeran, where McGraw sounds more vulnerable than usual, reaching into his falsetto to sing, "I'll be fine if my gray hair shows, I'll be fine if my waistline goes." Their harmonies on "Sleeping in the Stars" are a sweet marvel, curling through the verses and soaring in the chorus, Hill pushing McGraw's notes higher.
They are best, though, when they cut loose. They even sing about the process in the playful "The Bed We Made," co-written by the great Lori McKenna, who co-wrote McGraw's stunning hit "Humble and Kind." Early on, they sing about completing their "honey do" lists and life being "damn near perfect on the cul-de-sac," before they "make a mess of the bed we made this morning."
Even better is the closer "Roll the Dice," where they get swept up in a giddy, '70s-styled, country-soul rave-up about "rolling the dice on love." Not only do they get to show off their soulful sides, but it's the only chance they have to give off a genuine party vibe.
The album could have used a little more of that. After all, when you're planning for "The Rest of Our Life," don't you want the chance to stylishly blow off some steam?
