Sugarland - Love On The Inside review

Posted by Dan Halen on 08.06.2008

Third time's the charm for this cool and uniquely talented band.

(very) Brief History

Well, here’s a first for me – I’m reviewing an album by an artist I know embarrassingly little about. Normally I pick and review things I am comfortable with as far as the artist’s history and catalog. Sugarland would not be in that category. Doing a little quick research tells me they are currently a duo (Jennifer Nettles, vocals and Kristian Bush, vocals & guitars) down from a trio (gone is Kristen Hall); all the members had some success as solo performers before joining together and releasing two albums, one in 2004 and the second in 2006. More recently, Nettles sang a duet on the song “Who Says You Can’t Go Home” from Bon Jovi’s album Have A Nice Day. Everything I’ve heard and read all speaks highly of Nettles and Bush, so this will be interesting to see if they live up to the hype. Apparently this album was recorded live with minimal overdubs, co-produced by the band in their native Georgia, as opposed to Nashville. Everything was cut live from the floor, so this should better represent their “live” sound and energy. Being a fan of one of their contemporaries, Little Big town, who also guest on this album, I’m looking forward to hearing this.

Album & Songs

The album does have a very live feel and sound to it. I can't speak about their earlier material, but this is the way things should be mixed and produced. If it's truly live with minimal overdubs, then more power to them I say. The musicians are damn near immaculate on all performances and the guest appearances only enhance the level of talent already present. I applaud the band for exercising their options and choosing to record on home turf (but at the same time requesting a top producer, in veteran Byron Gallimore, to steer them)

First song is “All I Want To Do” and it reminds me of the song of the same name on Sheryl Crow’s first album – same upbeat bounciness but with sassier vocal delivery. Whether this was intentional or just the title awakening memories, I can’t be sure, but it’s a nice opener and works very well.

Next up is “It Happens”. Nettles' voice is certainly distinctive and I can see how it would not be for everyone. I’m still trying to decide who she sounds similar to. This is another swinging, rollicking tune with maybe a taste more of southern rock to it – must be that Georgia thing coming through.

“We Run” is up next and begins a trilogy that is the centerpiece of the album. Another brisk-paced song, it tells the tale of a new love and soars right along into “Joey”, a more restrained tale of a love that’s gone and cannot be resurrected. Here, Nettles’ lyrics and soulful delivery remind me of Natalie Maines but not quite as intense. Closing out the trilogy is the aching “Love”. With a U2-ish underlying guitar riff, Nettles allows the song to build momentum as she bears her emotions in her vocals. By the time the bridge hits, the song has become almost an anthem before it quiets momentarily in order to properly prepare the listener for the introduction of Bush’s vocals, underscoring Nettles much the same way The Edge supports Bono. Very intense stuff.

“Genevieve” follows with a more traditional sounding arrangement. Harmonies and mandolins abound throughout the verses before we hit a double-time beat on a chorus laced with violin and slide guitars. Nice example of contemporary and traditional styles of country music.

Next up, “Already Gone”. This stays in the same mold as the previous song. Mandolins shower down during the verses before harmonies and pedal steel wash them away on the chorus. Bush joins in on the refrain for some nice counterpoint vocal work that fades into some lonesome pedal steel on the ending. Great arrangement.

“Keep You” starts off quietly with a nice piano motif. Nettles’ voice is hair-raising and desperate sounding here. The solitary acoustic enhances the loneliness in her voice. Great song, very lonely and desolate sounding.

Things kick back into gear with “Take Me As I Am”, a no-holds-barred rocker. Once again, Nettles channels Natalie Maines but this time she raises the intensity level up a notch. She’s obviously got the chops but seems to keep them in check on record. I could see how she would belt it out of the park in a live setting, which backs up everything I had been hearing about her and their live shows.

Dialing it back a couple of notches, we get “What I’d Give”. This is probably the first song that I’ve heard where something hasn’t “hit” me within the first 30 seconds. It’s very soulful with some nice acoustic flourishes, but it’s very much the weakest song on the album up to this point. The ending is elevated somewhat by a very nicely executed lead solo.

The aptly named “Steve Earle” is next and kicks off with some soaring pedal steel and first thing out of Jennifer’s mouth is:

“Well I heard Steve Earle had lots of wives
About as many as cats have lives
Met ‘em on his records and we’re good friends
He writes a song for everyone
They fall in love and before it’s done
He writes an even better one when it ends”

All that is delivered over a barreling rockabilly lick. And the chorus and remaining verses are just as witty. It’s tongue in cheek at it’s finest with a country twist.

The album closes out proper with “Very Last Country Song”. Fittingly, the title suits the song – plaintive and lonesome, complete with crying dobro and sighing pedal steel, the focus is on Nettles’ brimming-with-sadness vocals. It’s short and simple and closes the album perfectly.

Now, for the fans, there was a special release - the Dee-Luxe Fan Edition. This was actually released a week BEFORE the regular edition and there was some marketing plan behind all that which I won’t delve into. The fan edition adds another five songs and one of those is the reason I bought this version.

“Fall Into Me” is the first bonus track. Opening with a nice acoustic progression, this fits in so well with the regular album material, I’m surprised they didn’t include it on that version also. It slowly builds into a strong chorus, again interlaced with some choice harmonies. After that, we get “Operation: Working Vacation” – this could be almost like the Go-Go’s meets the Dixie Chicks (that’s meant as a compliment, by the way). And man, do they take it home on the end – extended outro jam session, very cool stuff. Back to slow with “Wishing” and somehow this would also have fit perfectly on the regular edition. Another tearjerker – this would be the slow dance number for sure.

Now we get the reason I bought this fan edition for in the first place – they cover Dream Academy’s “Life In A Northern Town”. If you don’t know the original, see MTV circa 1986. Very atmospheric song produced by Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour. Anyway, Sugarland has something that Dream Academy did not – Little Big Town. I won’t go on a rave about them, but let’s just say I feel they are the future of country music. I also respect that both they and Sugarland are not afraid to nod to their roots and cover songs by these artists. But back to Sugarland…the way they perform this, the way they harmonize with Little Big Town, the way they share the vocals on the different verses…this is an amazingly well-conceived effort. I can’t say enough good about it really - it soars and then returns for a soft landing. If I haven’t already recommended the album, I certainly do at this point.

I really don’t know how you could follow that up, but they finally finish with “Come On Get Higher” by Matt Nathanson, a college circuit player who obviously crossed paths with Sugarland somewhere along the way. Almost performed acapella with only a single acoustic as accompaniment, the harmonies are perfection and when the harmonica comes in after the chorus, it elevates the song to the next level.

The 411: I won't ramble and waste time here - I can't speak about what came before this other than the research I've done, but damn... this is written, arranged and produced very well. After hearing this, I hate that I missed their joint tour with Little Big Town because that would have been amazing to see them perform "Life In A Northern Town" live. As it is, Sugarland delivers the goods in their songwriting and execution of original material. Highly recommended.

Final Score:  9.0   [  Amazing ]