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Little Big Town: The Road to Here


Little Big Town: The Road to Here

Label:Equity Music Group
Format:Album
Media:CD
Release Date:2006
Genre:Alt-Country

By Jim Breihan | Posted 1/25/2006

For 14 weeks Little Big Town’s The Road to Here has sat in the Top 10 of the Billboard Independent Albums Chart, right at home alongside the Ying Yang Twins, Pitbull, and Panic! At the Disco, whatever that is. While not representing a sharp departure from mainstream country, the group stands ready to break out among music fans who never listen to Toby Keith but like hearing country-twanging hip-hop and O Brother, Where Art Thou? bluegrass.

Its greatest achievement is the single “Boondocks,” an unapologetic country-pride anthem that packs about as much steel-guitar riffing and a cappella grooving as you could hope for. Glad to be from the boonies, Little Big Town exclaims, “It’s where I learned about Jesus/ And knowing where I stand/ You can take or leave it/ This is me, this is who I am.” Then the beat drops out and the four singers start throwing back-and-forth, multilayered harmonies about fishing, playing poker, and going to church.

While the rest fails to pack as much punch, it only drags through a few songs. The four singers keep The Road to Here vocally diverse, sounding as good on “Lost,” a heartbreak ballad in memory of a dead husband, as they do singing their triumphant dumping-you songs. Their only acoustic number sounds more like John Mayer than Hank Williams. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing—they’re not just singing for the Grand Ole Opry.

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