Honkytonk University

Though it might not be fair to say that Toby Keith has mellowed, he has definitely matured. Rather than taking political potshots, he exchanges bully-boy bluster for a tone of wry bemusement on "Big Blue Note" and "She Left Me," tempering middle-aged pride with a confession that the years have taken their toll on "As Good as I Once Was." After flexing his muscles with the album-opening title track, which sets Keith's musical autobiography to the trademark lope of Waylon Jennings, he showcases the subtler side of his vocal artistry on "She Ain't Hooked on Me No More"--a duet with Merle Haggard--and "Knock Yourself Out," while turning almost tender on "Your Smile" and "Where You Gonna Go." For those who miss the old Toby, there's "Just the Guy to Do It," which proceeds from one of the cheesiest pickup lines ever ("Do blondes really have more fun/Or are they just easier to spot in the dark?") into promises to punch out an errant boyfriend. Yet even this song has more of a Caribbean lilt than the macho swagger of Keith's younger days.