Most country music tough guys balance their snarl with lighter moments. But rising country music star Eric Church swaggers and scowls through his third album, “Chief,” without easing the bare-knuckled attitude with novelty tunes or love ballads. There’s none of Toby Keith’s humor, Trace Adkins’ sensitive ballads or Jamey Johnson’s probing self-examination. More than ever, Church’s songs revolve around drinking (“Jack Daniels,” “Drink In My Hand”) and fighting (“Keep On”). But the relentlessly macho attitude wears thin over 11 songs, even with detours into songs toasting musical idols (“Springsteen”) and bemoaning the stale state of his chosen music genre (“Country Music Jesus”).
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