Tattooed Heart

Creators: Becky Reiser; Sandi Spika Borchetta.
Photographer: Jim Arndt.
Ronnie Dunn signed to Big Machine's subsidiary Nash Icon for 2016's Tattooed Heart and, like the Nash Icon records by Reba McEntire and Hank Williams. Jr., Tattooed Heart is an effective re-creation of the sounds that turned Dunn into a superstar along with Kix Brooks in the '90s. His erstwhile partner shows up on "Damn Drunk" -- Nash Icon's inaugural star Reba McEntire stops by for "Still Feels Like Mexico" -- which only underscores that this album plays to all the rousing arena-country and power ballads that were Brooks & Dunn's specialty. Given that Dunn is a few years older, he now feels most comfortable in the slower songs -- the mellow Urban Cowboy revival of "Only Broken Heart in San Antone" is a highlight, as is the sultry ballad "I Wanna Love Like That Again" -- so the louder stuff feels a little affected, as if he was chasing after his younger self. Fortunately, most of Tattooed Heart veers toward the quieter, sensitive moments, which means this is the perfect dose of nostalgia: it conjures memories of the past but exists in a softer, subtler present. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine