Love on the Inside (by Sugarland, Country)

Country duo Sugarland, aka Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, know how to crystallize a moment with poignant immediacy without worrying too much about narrative flow; they have a way of bringing us into the middle of a story, then allowing the listener's imagination and experience to fill in the blanks. It's this ability, along with Jennifer's big, gorgeous honey voice, Kristian's accomplished guitar work, and an uncanny talent for finding musical hooks that has skyrocketed the deserving Sugarland to the top of the charts (pushing Miley Cyrus from the number one spot!).

Thematically, this songwriting pair spend a lot of time on "I can't live without you" expressions of love and "there must be more to life than this" reflection. Perhaps there's a connection here; some listeners might grow weary of the give-it-all-up-for-you message in many of the lyrics on LOVE ON THE INSIDE. But there are also sweet little journeys into memory and regret ("Very last country song," a lovely ballad about a woman looking at old photos on her birthday; and "Joey," apparently about a lover who left the party drunk and never made it home). "Steve Earle," a frivolous fantasy about hooking up with the famous country star, provides a breath of fresh air that some will be longing for by the time Track 11 rolls around. If all the full-tilt emotion makes Sugarland seem like they take themselves a little too seriously, well, just know that there's some seriously good music being made here.

Released on: July 22, 2008
Label: Mercury Nashville
Genre: Country