Lyle Lovett and His Large Band

iTunes Review

As the square peg of country music, Lyle Lovett never really fit into Nashville's round hole. Thank goodness. His desire to shrug loose that mantle brought us the wondrously eclectic Lyle Lovett and His Large Band. Opening with an energetic rendition of jazz legend Clifford Brown's "The Blues Walk," the album contains moments of gospel-tinged R&B ("Good Intentions"), songbook style pop ("I Know You Know"), and classic country ("Which Way Does That Old Pony Run"). As always, Lovett's warm nuanced voice and sharp songwriting provide the constant. And his wry humor (particularly on "Here I Am") is delivered with such perfect timing the man could be a stand-up comedian. Lovett never met a woman he didn't regret liking later, and the constant theme of "love gone wrong" peppers the album, even in his so-straightforward-it-must-be-ironic cover of "Stand By Your Man." Everything works here, the song choices, the arrangements, and Lovett's band, which meshes seamlessly.