Broken Bridges

Toby Keith has conquered the music world with his burly baritone and cutting edge songwriting. The Oklahoman has amassed a rabid fan base and sold millions of records in the process. Now country music's big dog is taking on Hollywood with a starring role in a major motion picture, Broken Bridges. The movie features Keith acting alongside the likes of Kelly Preston and Burt Reynolds.

Like George Strait's 1992 movie Pure Country, Broken Bridges is filled with some great country music. Unlike Strait's movie, though, the Broken Bridges soundtrack isn't filled with just Toby Keith performances. A mix of ballads, mid and up-tempo songs, the 14-track disc features actress Lindsey Haun (who plays Toby's daughter in the film), as well as Canadian folk singer Fred Eaglesmith and Keith's sidekick, Scotty Emerick. Songstress Matraca Berg and Poor Richard's Hound also make an appearance.

The earnest "Broken Bridges" opens the soundtrack on a introspective note. Keith, with help from Haun, croons like he never has on record before. The singer has performed ballads before, but his vocals here are as genuine as they come. A quiet production heavy on strings creates a soft spot for Keith's and Haun's beautifully entwined voices to settle. Haun takes a solo turn four songs later, on the grievous "Broken." The young singer (who recently signed to Toby's Show Dog label) sings like an angel.

Flynnville Train (another act on the Show Dog label) get down in the swamp for the southern baked "High On The Mountain." Throbbing bass, Allman Brothers-like guitars, and aggressive vocals make this one train worth riding. Graceful gospel singer Sonya Isaacs turns out the soul-stirring "The Battlefield," a haunting number with Irish instrumentation. Isaacs is one of the most underrated singers in Nashville. Willie Nelson, who also has a part in the movie, leads Keith and Bebe Winans through his own "Uncloudy Day." The undulating track sounds fresh, even though Nelson penned it nearly 30 years ago.

Of course, you can't have a Toby Keith movie soundtrack without some Toby Keith music on it. Keith sings on seven cuts, five of them solo. Hands down the best Keith performance, next to the title track, is "Crash Here Tonight," a crafted love song that also appears on the singer's latest album. A simple acoustic guitar accompanies Keith on the heart-stopping tune. Throttling cuts like "Big Bull Rider" and "Jacky Don Tucker" are typical Toby Keith songs. High-speed electric guitars make these country-rockers a barrel of fun.

Whether or not Toby Keith will conquer Hollywood like he has Nashville, remains to be seen. One thing is clear from the Broken Bridges soundtrack, though, Keith knows how to pick and write good songs. The disc also includes bonus footage and interviews from the movie.

By Todd Sterling