Sugarland,"Enjoy the Ride"(Mercury)

"Enjoy the Ride"may sound like an appropriately positive title for a group that shot to the forefront of country music with a two-million-selling debut.

But Sugarland's rocket to stardom, which began in 2004 with the release of"Twice the Speed of Life,"hit some turbulence: singer Jennifer Nettles and mandolinist Kristian Bush dealt with the abrupt departure in January 2006 of guitarist and songwriter Kristen Hall, who'd co-written their hits. The duo also changed producers, bringing in veteran producer Byron Gallimore, who's worked with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill.

Fortunately, Sugarland goes down just as sweet as a duo. As on past hits"Something More"and"Baby Girl,"the Georgia residents remain obsessed with upbeat songs about living their dreams. On songs like the new"Settlin'"and"One Blue Sky,"they continue to find fresh ways to combine uplifting messages and catchy, pop-country arrangements without relying on lyrical or musical cliches.

But the album is at its best when the duo move beyond their core theme."Stay,"a soulful acoustic ballad, shows how effectively Nettles can express more complex emotions;"These Are the Days,"a seemingly autobiographical defense against nay-sayers, portrays a man and woman who ignore the haters and keep their eye on enjoying their success; and, most surprising of all, the hard-rocking, humorous"Mean Girls", an Avril Lavigne-meets-Nashville tune that sneers at those who try to bring others down.

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Sugarland are having too much fun, and have too much to say, to let that happen to them.

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