Lyle Lovett - It's Not Big It's Large
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Free Music Notes for It's Not Big It's Large
Free Music Review: Its Not Big Its Large
Hit: 5 Stars
Finally he's back! Really great songs and its so great to hear such a wonderful big band.Free Music Review: Lovett returns to form on latest album mixing country, acoustic and big band sounds..
Hit: 4 Stars
Closer in sound to "Lyle Lovett and His Large Band" and "Joshua Judges Ruth" than the last couple of albums, Lovett is clearly in his comfort zone when it comes to mixing so many diverse styles from big band, elements of jazz, country and acoustic folkie ruminations on life, love and death. "It's Not Big It's Large" continues on in the vein of those other albums and is a terrific recordings with top notch songs.
Fans may want to be aware that there is also a deluxe edition with a DVD. This features performances of the songs woven into a documentary about the making of the album. If you're a huge Lovett fan you may want to pick this up vs. the regular CD version.
Opening with the a cover of Lester Young's "Tickle Toe" and moving quickly into the gospel tinged "I Will Rise Up/Ain't No More Cane" (the latter part of the medley is reprised at the end along with an acoustic performance of "Up in Indiana", just about every song from the jazzy sounding "No Big Deal" to "Don't Cry a Tear" opening with the moody sounds of steel and acoustic guitar can hold their own with his best material.
The witty "It's All Downhill" name checks his compatriots Joe Ely, John Hiatt and Guy Clark (they toured as part of a singer/songwriter package together). The name check is more than tip of the hat to these other soulful singer/songwriters as he also thanks them in the credits. There's no doubt that Lovett's peers gave him feedback on the songs he composed for this album. Clark himself makes a guest appearence on "South Texas Girl" one of the songs with the strongest country flavor.
While this album doesn't break any new ground in terms of the sound or style (clearly Lovett has found his niche sound and it works well for him), it's ultimately the quality of the songs themselves that sells "It's Not Big It's Large". Packaged in a digipak holder with a booklet featuring lyrics, this is a strong album from Lovett.
-Wayne Klein
Free Music Review: LYLE LOVETT LIVING LARGE ON HIS LATEST RELEASE
Hit: 4 Stars
It's hard to believe, but it's been 18 years since the Lovett debut of His Large Band. The Large Band explored venues of swing, jazz, blues and gospel with heavily populated music backing him. Enjoying Lovett music is akin to enjoying Guy Clark, or Townes Van Zandt. Always a bit quirky, sometimes a tad morose, but always on the cutting edge of New Country (sometimes called Alternative Country.)
Well, it's been four years since Lovett's last release, and his songwriting and singing is tight when it needs to be, and loose when it needs to be loose. It seems that Lovett is at his best when he sings a bit slower and adds a lilt to his voice. "Even when you're not at your best, you still try like hell" Lyle sings in the Alley Song. One has to admire the superior writing and emphasis he puts into his music. I half expected the Large Band to be too large and overshadow Lyle's singing, but those moments are few and far between. Instead, his band performs like The Band at times with the perfect layering needed to push a simple country song onto another level.
There's a bit of swing jazz in "No Big Deal", ballads, gospel, bluegrass and folk-country in this latest release. Nashville, Tennessee is written all over "It's Not Big, It's Large." It's like a sampling music from that great musical town. Lovett's bassett-hound eyes set the mood for a mostly slower paced cd. But make no mistake: when Lovett decides to swing hard, he does so effortlessly.
Jeff Feezle of Macafeez
Free Music Review: A dark and thoughtful work
Hit: 4 Stars
I think it's the tough juxtaposition of the playful jazz of Lester Young's "Tickle Toe" with the forceful spiritual of "I Will Rise Up" that opens up IT'S NOT BIG IT'S LARGE that threw me off when I started to listen to this one. I couldn't get the feel of it right away, the songs challenge the listener emotionally and even the light hearted songs like "All Downhill" carry a touch of foreboding. There's an elemental feel to this; songs like "Don't Cry a Tear" and "South Texas Girl" are emotionally moving and powerful pieces that will stay with you for quite awhile. There are a few songs that didn't work for me like the repetitive, "This Traveling Around," or the ridiculous "Make It Happy" which might have worked at three minutes, but wears out its welcome at 4:38.
I also didn't need two versions of "Up In Indiana" a slight song that doesn't need further inspection as an acoustic number, especially when placed against the power of "Ain't No Cane" which should have closed the CD. But the overall effect is one that will hold up every time you play it.
Free Music Review: Distinctly Lyle, that is, highly individualistic...
Hit: 4 Stars
Few people would be brave enough to structure an album the way Lyle does here, in that he doesn't exactly stack the most commercial stuff to the front. For example, he starts things off with a Bob Wills style instrumental rather than a hook-laden vocal of his own. Back in the days when record programmers started each LP side off with the potential "hits," this would have raised a few hairs. But, of course, such risk taking is what Lyle is all about, right? Many of the songs here utilize sections of the "large band" rather than the whole enchilada, and the backup vocalists, old buddies Sweet Pea Atkinson and Harry Bowens, and others, are used prominently. As a whole, "It's Not Big.." is fairly uncategorizable, it isn't exactly country, it isn't exactly jazz, and so on. There is a good deal of repetition in the lyrical lines but, once you get into the groove, the music is strong enough to get you past that.