Natural Forces

Lyle Lovett | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 20, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• ASIN: B002NX0NWM
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #337,566 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Natural Forces showcases Lyle's unwavering songwriting alongside amazing songs from such Texas writers as Eric Taylor, Don Sanders,Tommy Elskes, David Ball, Vince Bell, Robert Earl Keen, and the legendary Townes Van Zandt. Produced by Billy Williams and Lyle Lovett --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

40 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not the best from one of my favorite artists!, October 22, 2009

By 

billmelater "billmelater" (Blue Springs, MO United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Natural Forces (Audio CD)

I own every album that Lyle Lovett has ever made, and I waited anxiously for this new release. Unfortunately, it's not his best work. There are still the ballads in his unique voice that grace every album, but they're not HIS songs. He's used other songwriters for some songs (not a problem on his "Step Inside This House" album) but on "Natural Fores" the choices seem a bit thin on emotional stirrings. Lyle is an amazing songwriter, and I prefer his touching words to almost anyone's. That being said.....the songs he did write on this album are ridiculously childish! Normally every album has a "quirky" or "fun" song or two, but they always tell a great story, albeit in a light-hearted way. The goofy songs he chose to put on this album are just...dumb. "Keep It In Your Pantry" is repetitive and nonsensical (though the acoustic version is the better of the two versions). "Farmer Brown", while a nice reel, is not my choice for labeling a "good Lyle Lovett song".

That being said, there is still his wonderful voice and style, and "Empty Blue Shoes" is up there with his best work. "It's Rock And Roll" was a great rockin' treat. This album earned 3 stars because it's Lyle Freakin' Lovett, and he's awesome. Not his best, but he's still better than almost anyone out there, so I'll purchase everything he puts up for sale!

24 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars His best since "Pontiac", October 23, 2009

By 

finalharvest - See all my reviews

This review is from: Natural Forces (MP3 Download)

Whew!

There are many artists I used to listen to early on in their career and in the course of time lost interest. They may have changed too much, they may have changed too little, they may have started to appeal to the masses and I have started to turn away in a stupid "but I knew them back when..."-attitude. Whatever the reason, it happened with John Mellencamp, Bruce Springsteen, Bryan Adams, R.E.M., Big Country to name but a few, and yes, it also happened to me with Lyle Lovett. The first album of his I bought was Pontiac and I fell in love with "If I Had a Boat", "Walk Through the Bottomland" and "L.A. County". I stopped buying his CDs after "Step Inside This House", still gave them a listen but then decided to spend my money on Son Volt, Todd Snider or Ryan Bingham.

Until "Natural Forces" that is: "Natural Forces" is good ol' Lyle and still fresh and new that I'm looking forward to the first time I put this in my CD changer in the car next spring and roll down the window driving along the country roads. It's not as good as "Pontiac" but it comes damn close. Try the title song, the stompin' "Pantry", the plaintive "Empty Blue Shoes" or the Townes cover "Loretta" and you'll see what I mean.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Oh Lyle!, December 28, 2009

By 

Big John "mesa dweller" (Colorado) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Natural Forces (Audio CD)

This CD is not cohesive in flow. It flings the ear back and forth from ballad Lyle to rocker Lyle, from brilliant song writing to mundane (Choke my chicken? What were you thinking?). I found it hard to listen to.