Brooks & Dunn: Hard Workin' Man (Arista)

KIX BROOKS and Ronnie Dunn ARE hard-workin' men — blue-collar singer-songwriters whose sweat-over-art ethic has paid off big time. It's powered their no-nonsense assembly line of tunes about drinkin', breakin' up, hangin' on and stoppin' to smell the roses high onto the country charts, selling 2.5 million copies and yielding four Number One country hits from their 1991 debut, Brand New Man. On the follow-up, their music is still as dependable as an old Chevy; it's never flashy, easy to understand and good for a joy ride as long as you're not expecting too much.