DUD OF THE MONTH

Big & Rich
"Between Raising Hell and Amazing Grace"
(Warner Bros.)

Didn't take them long to ripen from corny Nashville realness to smarmy harmonies and big finishes as coercive as Diane Warren's. Keynoting with a piece of grease designed to supplant "Wind Beneath My Wings" at weddings all across Middle America, their tribute to God confuses grease with grace for so long that by the time the antiracism campaign resurfaces it feels like they're just piling on the piety. Needless to say, hell rises to the top for their best tune -- an AC/DC cover.

MORE DUDS

Antibalas
"Security" (Anti-)

Dierks Bentley
"Long Trip Home" (Capitol)

Angélique Kidjo
"Djin Djin" (Razor & Tie)

Bruce Robison
"Eleven Stories" (Sustain)

Rodrigo y Gabriela
"Rodrigo y Gabriela" (ATO)

Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars
"Living Like a Refugee" (Anti-)

Kelly Willis
"Translated From Love" (Rykodisc)