Little Big Town reveals The Reason Why (video)

Little Big Town ~ The Reason Why (Capitol Nashville)

Released: August 24, 2010

One of country music’s sweetest gems, Little Big Town, returns this month with its fourth studio album, The Reason Why. The album is packed with an ingratiating mix melodic contemporary accessibility, and sittin’-on-the-front-porch traditional country.

The band’s ability to use their four voices in intricately woven if not heavenly harmonies, while trading off on solo vocal duties, allows them to spread out musically while maintaining a comfortable continuity. While the band plays it close to their country roots, they also brings in elements of classic 70’s rock, and blues. At times critics have called them overly derivative of bands like Fleetwood Mac or the Eagles, but while those influences can be heard in their harmonies and songwriting, they continue to create their own style and sound. And if that’s the worst thing a critic can say about LBT, that’s nothing more than a back-handed compliment I’m sure they’d take all day long.

The Reason Why feels like an album of growth for the band; lyrically, musically, and perhaps emotionally. From tender vocal strokes, to aggressive guitars, the band, along with producer/guitarist Wayne Kirkpatrick, bring out the best in each other on this record, and you can hear it in the songwriting, most of which is attributable to the band and Kirkpatrick.

The album opener and title track, finds husband and wife, Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook trading off lead vocals, with a sweet, lover’s-strolling-hand-in-hand-down-an-old-dirt-road, pop-country feel good vibe. The song opens the album nicely, flirting with what’s to come without giving it all away.

The band picks up steam on the rumbling and bluesy, “Runaway Train.” Two songs later, Fairchild, pours her heart out and pleading, “Shut Up Train.” A song that reminds us how lost and broken love is like a rumbling cold beast that rattles through our heart and mind, relentless and endless.

In between trains, the band slips in one of the album’s more poignant numbers, the soft and cloying “Kiss Goodbye,” which Phillip Sweet sings with aching honesty. Sweet returns with a similar emotive flavor on the album’s moody closer, “Lean Into It.”

“Why Oh Why,” returns to that bluesy back-roads feel, which segues nicely into the album’s first single, the foot-stompin’ “Little White Church.” A raucous and lively put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is sing-along anthem. This one’s sure to go over big on tour.

The album is full of addictive tracks, like “All Over Again,” “Life Rolls On,” and “All The Way Down.”

The Reason Why is arguably the band’s best and most infectious album to date—both a progression and extension of their previous works. Producer Wayne Kirkpatrick did a masterful job in bringing out the best of their vocal abilities without overproducing . He kept the record stripped down and genuine in a less-is-more fashion. Fairchild’s vocals really shine on this record, which takes away nothing from Westbrook, Sweet or Kimberly Schlapman. On the whole, this record seems most representative of who Little Big Town is. Who they are is The Reason Why.

Rating: 8.7/10

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