LYLE LOVETT

12TH OF JUNE

VERVE RECORDS

It’s been a while between drinks for the iconic Lyle Lovett but he’s finally back with a new album, a decade on from his last record, Release Me. In true Lovett fashion, he’s brought together all of his influences – jazz, Western swing, Texas country and heavily rhythm-based music, to create a wonderfully varied and lively album.

Horace Silver’s ‘Cookin’ At The Continental’ kicks things off with an energetic and swinging big band sound before the humour and infectious groove of ‘Pants is Overrated’ takes us to New Orleans. The soulful and bluesy, jazz and R&B vibe continues until the mid-point of the album where the country side begins to emerge via Lovett’s sublime vocal performances on ‘Her Loving Man’ and the album’s title track. He still possesses a unique voice with that country ache and twang filtered through jazz phrasing and a back-of-the-throat tone similar to Elvis Costello and Ron Sexsmith.

12th Of June, the birthday of his young children, signals this is an album inspired by the joy of becoming a father and one that explores themes of friendship, marriage and family. It’s an eminently natural and heartfelt collection of songs that finds Lovett reflective yet celebratory in his own cool style.  

CHRIS FAMILTON