Pat Green [ tickets ] knew he was on to something when he was playing frat parties at Texas Tech. He cut his teeth rocking partisan crowds, but knew bigger game awaited, as he imbibed Robert Earl Keen, Jerry Jeff Walker, Willie Nelson, and "everything from some really crappy '80s music to the best Motown to a little classical," making for his own potent storytelling formula. It's not hardcore country, and it's not straight-up arena roots rock, but gladly borrows bits of both.

But that storytelling, the songwriting craft, is undeniable. Brevity, clever turn of phrase, the delivery--the dude's packing heat.

The bridge of patriotic "Footsteps Of Our Fathers" has the line, "As I look down at the brother of my daughter/As I kneel and kiss the sister of my son," referring to his children without saying "kids," and the Marc Beeson-penned single "Let Me" would make any lighter-wielding Journey fan stand up and shout, without ever uttering the word "love."

The R.E.M. mandolin of "Lucky" juxtaposes the thumping shuffle of "Carry On," which is actually a remake from his 2001 album "Three Days." The frat set will love the rollicking "Feeling Pretty Good Tonight," while the tambourine-happy "In It For The Money" paints a picture of fame being a prostitute. And not one drop of it feels corny.

"Country Star," penned by Green and Brett James (who wrote "Jesus Take The Wheel"), is the country counterpart to Nickelback's "Rock Star," poking fun at the celebrity life, dropping as many names as Britannically possible, "breaking all the young girls' hearts just like Keith Urban ... rockin' out with Brooks and Dunn, all the way to number one."

Then there's the Marc Beeson/Allen Shamlin-penned title track, which speaks for itself: "I'm for turning off the TV, getting off the Internet/I'm for learning all the words of the Gettysburg Address ... I'm for dusty pawnshop guitars, and boxers past their prime/I'm for listening to the wisdom when an old man speaks his mind." Green delivers the story like he wrote it--think the best of John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson--and it's all polished nicely by producer Dan Huff.

It's one strong song after another, and frankly, he turned this admitted non-country aficionado into a fan. Good songs are good songs, regardless of style.