Nashville is famously situated on the Cumberland River, but were it located next to an ocean you could probably gaze out and see the members of Little Big Town perched astride the crest of its largest wave. The quartet are arguably the biggest and most beloved modern country act right now and represent a perfect balance between independent cool and mainstream polish, carefree fun and meaningful depth. So why, then, does this eagerly anticipated album feel like a slight disappointment?
You have to admire Little Big Town. Formed in 1998, Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Jimi Westbrook and Phillip Sweet didn’t break through for nearly a decade. When the first flushes of success arrived they didn’t play it safe either, instead hooking up with unconventional producer Jay Joyce for 2012’s ‘Tornado’ and its follow-up, ‘Pain Killer’. Both were mega-selling records that garnered accolades for their mix of classic tropes, exploratory thinking, swagger, wit and feel good spirit.
That penchant for taking chances even saw an unexpected, and mostly ignored, detour into R&B, reggae and disco on last year’s ‘Wanderlust’.
It was never going to be a full time defection, but that hasn’t stopped ‘The Breaker’ being billed as the band’s return to country music. And yet, if that really was their destination, someone’s been screwing with the sat nav.
This album certainly finds them on more familiar ground, but where Little Big Town have often been compared to Fleetwood Mac due to their vocal harmonies and blend of ‘Rumours’ era Americana meets transatlantic pop-rock, ‘The Breaker’ is a mature, predominantly sedate serving of high class MOR and the most reflective record of their career.
Sweet croons the regretful title track and rosy nostalgia of We Went To The Beach with an abundance of heart, while Fairchild’s Don’t Die Young, Don’t Get Old is full of Stevie Nicks’ golden magic. Schlapman’s Beat Up Bible spins a lovely narrative over the only true country song here. The finest moment, though, is Better Man. Written by Taylor Swift and imbued with her trademark victim of love complex, it’s a diamond of a ballad where an immense chorus finds Little Big Town’s harmonies demanding every hair on the back of your neck stands to attention.
It’s difficult to criticise a record where everything, from the flawless vocals to uplifting sentiments and Joyce’s unique production choices, is superbly executed. ‘The Breaker’ is no dud and there’s much to enjoy about its ambient, smooth and soulful stylings. But although the band are masters at shimmering atmospherics, when that approach dominates, as it does for two thirds of this record, the result is an album that’s too one dimensional, safe and sadly bereft of their usual stylistic forays and the multi-dimensional character that brings to the songs.
There are some sassier moments, mind. Nothing as idiosyncratically wonderful as Day Drinking or Tornado, but the perky sugar rush of Happy People and Rollin’s rollicking rock ‘n’ roll gospel are the kind of material this record needs more of. Less impressive is Night On Our Side, a surprisingly generic pop workout that could have been recorded by any contemporary artist. That’s something you can rarely level at Little Big Town.
Overall, ‘The Breaker’ resembles a meal where the chef’s forgotten to salt all the dishes. The whole banquet ought to taste delicious, but in spite of the wonderful presentation and delicious aroma, the missing ingredient results in an experience that’s bland and blissful in equal measure, never quite satisfying as it should.
Little Big Town Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon September 25 2017 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Institute
Wed September 27 2017 - GLASGOW Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Thu September 28 2017 - MANCHESTER Albert Hall
Fri September 29 2017 - BIRMINGHAM O2 Institute
Sun October 01 2017 - GATESHEAD Sage
Mon October 02 2017 - GLASGOW Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
Tue October 03 2017 - BRISTOL Colston Hall
Thu October 05 2017 - LONDON Royal Albert Hall
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