Natural Forces

Good CD. Bad smelling package!
Bought this CD without the shrink wrap. CD jacket made of cardboard and smelled very badly of smoke. Seller offered refund, but it was right before Christmas, so there was no time to purchase another one.

Cowboy time
Lyle is the cowboy singer. He weaves his stories of real cowboy life and Texas into a trail of love and mirth. His untroubled musical soul is bared in wonder and glory for the rest of the world to perceive.

A C+ Effort from a Brilliant Songwriter
Lyle Lovett is one of his generation's finest songwriters, and Natural Forces offers some fine songs. Not great, but fine. Mediocre Lyle Lovett is still better than 95% of the slop out there. But of the 12 songs, three are joke-songs (2 of which are the same song, different versions). These are fun songs to see live, but.... More importantly, many, if not most, of the songs here are covers of others' songs. Lovett's songwriting, sense of humor and gift for capturing the raw essence of his subjects is mesmerizing - because so little of Natural Forces showcases Lovett doing what he does best, it falls short of the normal brilliance that I have come to expect from him. Lyle Lovett fans may enjoy this album, but there is nothing earth shattering here. GENRES: Contemporary Folk, Folk Rock, Mellow Rock. BUY IF YOU LIKE: Robert Earl Keen, John Hiatt. MUST HEAR TRACKS: "Whooping Crane," "Bayou Song," "Bohemia," "Sun and Moon and Stars," "Loretta."

Tender, Brilliant, an American Gem for Lovett
Like my friend from Blue Springs Mo, I've owned and listened every Lyle Lovett album, and had the pleasure to see him live three times. I too, eagerly await every CD release,and while there are treasures on every CD, none have come close to my personal favorite, Road to Ensenada, until perhaps, Natural Forces. There are albums that one has to play many times, for the songs to grow on you, for their subtle qualities to take root, and others you like right away. As I type this, I am only through my first listen, haven't even gotten to the final track yet, but I was compelled to write an enthusiastic review and share that Lyle has hit a home run! As is my habit, I open the package and page through the lyrics, see who wrote what, what musicians have joined my favorite American singer songwriter. At first I was a little disappointed to see there are only four original songs, but my concerns were quickly allayed after hearing the gorgeous Whooping Crane. The whole package is brilliant - a delightful, tender offering of Americana, spirit and the best that Lyle has offered in a while. Had I not read the lyric booklet first, I would have sworn every song was penned by Lovett. He owns every word. Lovett's voice is strong and controlled-everything one would come to expect from a great human instrument.His studio band is tight and you can feel the enjoyment and passion in their playing. There are melodic turns and twists that keep some of the more thoughtful, pensive themes from being morose. The title song is exquisite. I was pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed the cover songs - particularly Townsend Van Zandt's Loretta, and Vince Bell's Sun and Moon and Stars musically evoked the warm Americana of a Ken Burns documentary. As any LL fan knows, he is an artist who is hard to label- to pigeon hole into a style. Big Band, Swing, Jazz, Country, Gospel, Texacali, Tex-Western, Rock and Roll and Blues. Lyle Lovett has done it all. I love that aspect to his music. Natural Forces has something for everyone-this is American music at its best- there is not a bad song on this record. If you are considering adding your first Lyle Lovett recording to your collection, this is a serious contender for your first choice, though I still give the edge to a more personal (and somewhat painful) Road to Ensenada, Natural Forces is Lyle Lovett at his most diverse, upbeat,thoughtful and proficient best. Forever might not hold you for long, but Natural Forces just might sweep you off your feet.

It just keeps coming
We saw Lyle last summer in concert and he did some songs from this CD and I was anxiously awaiting the release of it. This is just another in the line of excellent work from Lyle. Is it better than the last one? It is very difficult to top his work of the past 10 years or so. His music continues to be some of the best available, and this CD is no exception. All of the songs are easy to listen too and keep your attention while listening. Lyle and his friends continue to write songs that are sometimes funny, sometimes sad, and sometimes have a real message to convey and this CD fits all of those categories. I am happy to add this CD to my collection of a long list of Lyle Lovett music that I own and plan to enjoy it for years, just like his other music. You can't go wrong purchasing this CD, nor most any Lyle Lovett CD.