Country Evolution

Personnel: Darren Rust, Jordan Rust, Emily Zamber, Olena Lysenko, McKenzie Zamber, Alison Shona, Jenika Marion, Reilly Zamber, Jimmy Bates (vocals).
Recording information: Blue Hat Records, Antioch, TN; Skaggs Family Studios, Hendersonville, TN; Skyland Studios, Lakeville, MN.
The second major-label album from The Sing-Off winners Home Free (it's the third, if you count the holiday record Full of Cheer, which arrived just months after their debut Crazy Life), Country Evolution, ironically enough, shows no sign of evolution from their first record. Then again, Home Free are just an a cappella group who love to sing. All they want to do is harmonize, happy to sing golden oldies or contemporary hits. After Crazy Life failed to burn up the charts with its originals, Columbia wisely decided to deemphasize commissioned original material on Country Evolution, finding space for new versions of such hits as "Honey, I'm Good" and "House Party," along with chestnuts "Elvira," "9 to 5," and "The Devil Went Down to Georgia," all of which overshadow the serviceable new tunes here. It's all good times and hijinks and frivolity, which, if you like the group, should prove irresistible. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine