Lyle Lovett's 12th album, "Natural Forces," should be hailed as an antidote to the absurd commercialism that permeates much of American popular music. That's not to say his previous albums were lacking in this-each stands as a testament to Lovett's peerless ability to seek out and illuminate the often hidden irony of the human condition. Considering that Lovett penned four of the songs on the new album (with the balance authored by such poets as Townes Van Zandt, David Ball, Don Sanders and Eric Taylor), one might expect a somewhat disjointed listening experience. But that's hardly the case, as Lovett deftly accomplishes the opposite and triumphs in taking the listener on a cohesive journey. "Whooping Crane" is clever wordplay devoted to the sometimes futile search for life's meaning, while "Loretta" is a man's wry concoction of a not-so-perfect imaginary lover. And the title track is a multi-act drama that zigzags between meandering individualism and social justice. From the blue double-entendre of the song "Farmer Brown/Chicken Reel" to the cautionary "It's Rock and Roll," "Natural Forces" satisfies from start to finish.-Wade Jessen
-
Hot 100
Gotye tops again
-
Billboard 200
Adam Lambert rules
-
Dance/Club Songs
Karmin's 'Brokenhearted' rises
-
Digital Songs
Carly Rae Jepsen scores
-
Soundtracks
The 'Glee' cast rocks it
-
Social 50
Rihanna is social queen
-
Dance/Electronic Albums
Skrillex nabs No. 1
-
Country Albums
Carrie Underwood blows us away
-
Rock Albums
Tenacious D 'Rizes' to the top
-
Rap Albums
Nicki Minaj takes the top spot
Lyle Lovett, "Natural Forces"
More Features
All features
All of Billboard.com's Great Lists
Billboard chart app
Billboard archives
© Billboard. All rights reserved.
Portions of content provided by Rovi Corporation. © Rovi Corporation.
Thanks For Joining Billboard
Log in to create your profile, speak your mind and connect with listeners like you.
Haven't Joined Yet ?
For the full Billboard experience, you need to be a member. Sign up. It's free.
Forgot your password?
Enter the e-mail address you used to sign up and we will email you the password .
Email Sent !
Your password has been sent to the email address you provided. Please sign in below :
Log In
Action Successful
We'd love to hear your feedback on the new Billboard.com!
Whether it's a feature request or a bug
We want to hear from you. Please use this form to anonymously give us your input.
Up for Discussion