Country singer Jason Aldean blends thudding percussion, hard-rock synths and acoustic riffs to create his progressively original fifth studio album, “Night Train.” The mixture of genre-bending elements provides the perfect contrast to the crooner’s smooth, Southern-tinged voice, forming a unique sound that separates him from his contemporaries. The multi-faceted artist even tries his hand in rapping with “1994,” a hip-hop-inspired ode to ‘90s country star Joe Diffie. While his skills as an emcee aren’t mesmerizing, the track is playful and a great addition to his overall product. But other tunes like “Staring at the Sun” and “Black Tears” fall into the farce-worthy, lovesick ballads catergory with subpar lyrics and melodramatic themes. Overall, Aldean manages to remain versatile and even when he falters, his band never misses a beat.

Grade: C+