CMT News

Dierks Bentley previewed some new songs from his next album during a show at Hollywood's Avalon Theater on Thursday night (Dec. 9). The rowdy crowd was treated to two ballads, "Settle for a Slowdown" and "Come a Little Closer," as well as two stone-country up-tempo numbers. "Domestic, Light & Cold" is a tribute to what Bentley called "cheap, watery American beer," and the Waylon Jennings-flavored "A Lot of Leaving to Do" is the ultimate road musician song with lines like "before you turn me on/ make sure that you can turn me loose/'cause I've still got a lot of leaving to do." Bentley said those songs will be included on the next year's follow-up to his critically acclaimed debut. The Hollywood show marked the end of Bentley's High Times and Hangovers Tour with country rockers Cross Canadian Ragweed. He'll hit the road on his second tour of duty with George Strait starting Jan. 13.