Dierks Bentley never did fit neatly into the Nashville box, and with his recent single “She Hates Me,” he’s not about to start. The track, a delightfully grungy burst of barbed charm, gives fans a taste of Bentley’s country roots soaked in distorted guitars and sharp-tongued storytelling. It’s classic Dierks with a twist: the swagger’s still there, but this time he’s on the receiving end of the eye-roll.

“She Hates Me” spins out like a cousin to “Drunk On A Plane” and “Somewhere On A Beach,” built at a writing camp last spring with trusted partners-in-crime Ashley Gorley, Ross Copperman, and Chase McGill. It leads the charge for Broken Branches, Bentley’s 11th studio album and one of his most spirited releases yet.

True to its name, Broken Branches embraces the misfits, outcasts, and beautifully beat-up corners of country music. Bentley strips things down to the essentials, with a record that tips its hat to tradition while baring its teeth. Collaborations with Miranda Lambert, John Anderson, Riley Green, and Stephen Wilson Jr. help color the edges, but the heart of the album beats strongest in the stories - tales of broken hearts, blue-collar fixes, and barstool philosophers.

“Cold Beer Can,” already earning Rolling Stone nods for its ode to mending what’s busted, emotional or mechanical, sits next to the string-driven stomper “Well Well Whiskey,” a bluegrass-laced reminder that Bentley’s never forgotten where he came from, even as he keeps moving forward.

And forward he goes, launching the Broken Branches Tour this summer with newcomer Zach Top and the Band Loula in tow. From Austin to amphitheaters across the country, Bentley will bring old favorites and fresh anthems to life with the kind of grit and generosity that’s earned him eight No. 1 albums, 22 chart-topping songs, 15 Grammy nominations, and a permanent seat at the Grand Ole Opry.

Offstage, Bentley keeps his boots planted in the culture he celebrates. Whether it's the four locations of his Whiskey Row gastropub, his Desert Son lifestyle line, or his new ROW 94 Kentucky bourbon, Bentley keeps building his empire one honest pour at a time.

With Broken Branches, he reminds us that the most weathered limbs often bear the most interesting fruit, and that country music, when done right, still knows how to throw a punch, tell the truth, and turn the volume up.