Joe Nichols' new country album, "Man With a Memory," was one of last year's best albums. From beginning to end, it captivates the listener. There is more to say for this album than his first, released in 1996, which was overlooked. Nichols completely turned his career around with "Man With a Memory."

Nichols sings every track with a smooth and seemingly flawless baritone voice. The first single,"The Impossible," is about being able to do anything despite troubles. Here the listener can hear the feeling in Nichols' voice. Although an inspiring song, it is not the best on the album. All are beautifully created, with the album mixing excellent songwriting, amazing producing and an even more amazing voice.

There are three highlights where you can see Nichols continuing in the footsteps of legends like George Strait and Garth Brooks.

The first is a song called "Joe's Place" which is basically about an old-fashioned bar where people enjoy hanging out. It talks about everything that goes on including the laughter, friendships and heartbreak. This song is one that will take a listener back to the time of laid-back country music.

Another highlight is "Brokenheartsville," a song about lost love. Here, especially, Nichols shows off his beautiful country sound, and proves that he can sing both old-fashioned and modern country songs.

Perhaps the most amazing song on this album is "That Would Be Her." It mixes the sounds of jazz, country, folk and blues and describes a woman and how much a man loves her. Needless to say, it is a song that makes one long for a true love. The listener feels every emotion that Nichols is trying to convey, including a love so strong it almost hurts.

If you are looking for an amazing classic album with shades of old-fashioned as well as modern country music, then I highly recommend "Man With a Memory."