Review: 'Nashville' soundtrack slick and solid

LIKE the rare, maybe mythical man who reads

Playboy

only for the articles, some must surely claim to watch the ABC series "Nashville" solely for the music.

Those who aren't much for sudsy nighttime soaps would do well to check out the songs on "The Music of Nashville: Original Soundtrack Season 2, Volume 1" (Big Machine Records). While the story lines strain credulity, these sonic underpinnings hold the show together - as should be the case with a series set and filmed in Music City.

The actors sing their own parts, and the leads, Hayden Panettiere and Connie Britton, do fine jobs behind the mic. Yet the true revelations are found in the musical chops of others, such as Clare Bowen and Sam Palladio.

"The Music of Nashville" runs the gamut from the slick and sassy ("Can't Say No to You," "Trouble Is") to tender, deeper cuts ("Why Can't I Say Goodnight," "This Town").

Overall, this collection has many hooks worth a listen, and it could hook a few more viewers who might typically forgo froth on TV.

- Associated Press