Customer Reviews

Own The Night

5 star:		(117)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

"Own the Night" is the third studio album by Lady Antebellum and picks up right where they left off with last year's "Need You Now." They have an impressive track record which includes being awarded Top New Group by the Academy of Country Music and New Artist of the Year by the Country Music Association in 2008. They were then nominated for a total of 4 Grammy Awards in 2009 and 2010, winning one of them for Best Country Performance for the song "I Run To You." In 2010 they won Top Vocal Group and Song of the Year ("Need You Now") at the ACM Awards and took home 5 Grammy Awards in 2011.

The first track, "We Owned The Night" is the perfect start to the album: An upbeat tune that has lots of energy and will make you jump out of your chair and start to dance. The lyrics are nothing short of poetic and inspired by dreams of a once in a lifetime moment of passion. Singer Hillary Scott says the album was named after these sentiments. The mandolin that Dave Haywood plays adds an amazing texture that enhances the song with charisma and a hint of bluegrass influence. "Just a Kiss" was the first single and made its debut last spring on American Idol. It debuted at number 7 on Billboard's top 100, the highest debut by a country artist in over 52 years. "Dancing Away With My Heart" was co-written with Josh Kear, the same person who helped write "Need You Now." The song is everything a country tune should be: deep, meaningful lyrics, excellent musicianship, and passionate singing and playing. The song is so familiar I was humming away with it the first time I listened. Another highlight is "As You Turn Away," a song with a catchy hook and incredible vocal melodies and harmonies. If you liked Lady Antebellum's two previous albums, or if you're a fan of country music, you'll love this. Highly recommended!!

Review by Kai
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Lady Antebellum wasn't new on the music scene when they stole the hearts of many worldwide with "Need You Now." However, it was the aforementioned that gained them the respect they worked so hard for. The country group received much appreciation for their harmonic and pure singing filled with raw emotion that reaches the soul of anyone who dares to listen. Should there be an individual to deny that fact then they obviously don't know what good (meaningful) music sounds like. With "Need You Now" embedded into the minds of many, the trio certainly had one of the most anticipating albums of the year, in country music that is. However, did they deliver and satisfy the wait with "Own the Night?" We'll see after I dissect their precious piece of art.

"We Owned the Night" is a song about a deep and electrifying love. It's a mix between alternative rock and traditional country. The guitar tune is on fire but there's not much else going on. You'll only find interest in the song's deep meaning and will probably disregard the arrangement of the instruments. The vocals aren't as captivating or intense as they often sound. However, it's a sweet track nonetheless and I don't mind a second listen.

The lead single, "Just a Kiss", established high expectations for the album. From start to finish you're taking in by the heartwarming passion in their voices that blends so smoothly with the backing music. The song's about finding a new love and not rushing into anything right on but instead taking it slow in order to preserve the little things like butterflies in the stomach (if you get my drift). The music video takes on a different concept; however, the romance is depicted well in accordance with the song's purpose.

This group surely knows how to write, well that's also expected of country singers. Is it not? "Dancin' Away with My Heart" has beautiful and blissful lyrics as showcased in any Lady A song. The track tells the story of a past love that still holds strong meaning in one's life; it's absolutely relatable because most, if not all of us, still remembers that one special love from our youthful days. The song is rather mellow and swaying a bit, but that only makes it more tasteful. The music is well arranged and Hillary sounds so sensual in this one.

"Friday Night" is one of the more hard hitting, heavy rock songs on the album. It's much more fun and entertaining, not so much as sad, lonely, or overflowing with romance like the previous. It definitely lives up to the title, and we all know what Friday night means: unwind from the long week, go partying, shopping, just letting lose and having fun. That's exactly what this track signifies and I appreciate the fact that a song like this is included on the record.

"When You Were Mine" takes us back to the place where "Dancin' Away with My Heart" took us. The song's about a past experience with a love that was thought to be passionate and long lasting. The words spoken seemed promising and true but in the end the love died. The track's main purpose is about reminiscing. It's also about the "what ifs". I really like how the instruments sound together and the harmonies. It's a very catchy song but I'm beginning to hear too much repetition of the same concept in the songs. And that can get a bit tiring for me.

"Cold as Stone" is very slow paced and depressing, but I like it because the words are true and heartfelt. The song's about going through a painful heartbreak. No matter how much time passes the hurt still lingers on. It's a beautiful but sorrowful track that I keep on repeat. I'm deeply caught up in their voices driven by so much emotion, especially by the end of the song. And the ending melodies are very soulful and dramatic.

I love how "Singing Me Home" taps into a little acoustic r&b. It's the kind of music you hear playing at a café. My interpretation is that the song's about appreciating the lover in your life; enjoying every second you're with them. It's an upbeat track to revive the heart after listening to "Cold as Stone." Their track listing is just beyond intriguing. But then again, it works for me because after bawling your eyes out over a love lost, you get to put a smile back on your face knowing you have a special someone in your life.

Interestingly enough, I thought I wouldn't fall in love with another song like "Just a Kiss" but here comes "Wanted you more" to take my breath away. The song's similar to "When You Were Mine" but there's something that differentiate the two: intensity. "Wanted you more" is about investing your all into a love that turned out to be merely one sided. You gave your all only to discover that your all wasn't good enough. This song is now my ultimate favorite on the entire album. I will not take that back. I am certain.

Hillary owns "As You Turn Away". The song continues the breakup concept and further unravels the details of a relationship ending. One is obviously still hanging on but there's nothing left to hang on to. The instruments are arranged in such a theatrical way that there's no denying the magnitude of the effort placed into them. The song encompasses your heart in a way you are incapable of resisting. That's the kind of music I'm yearning to hear from musicians these days.

"Love I've found In You" speeds up the pace of the album and goes back into the happy and cheery side of the album. The song, as expressed in the title, is about the new and incredible love discovered in the one you're with. As stated before, the concept switches back and forth from sad and depressing to romantic and fun. I like how it surprises you instead of being formally structured. Not to mention the song is catchy.

Here we go again, back to the sorrowful side. "Somewhere Love Remains" is about fighting to rediscover the feelings they used to feel for each other before giving up and calling it quits. One is hoping that the other can remember the love and happy times they've shared. Sometimes it's best to try again and not throw in the towel but only if "love remains".

With all this back and forth between sad to happy, I wondered how they would conclude the record. And thankfully, it ends unexpectedly about the beauty of love. "Heart of the World" depicts the different issues faced daily in relationships but at the end of the day, they hold on to their love and continue to cherish each other and every thing they've built together. This song touches me spiritually and emotionally because of the depth of the words. I close off by quoting myself, "this group surely knows how to write..."

From finding love to suffering from heartbreaks, you name it and Lady Antebellum's got it on their new album. "Own the Night" is a remarkable effort by the trio and I cannot express enough how they've played with my emotions on every single track. I felt like crying then felt like smiling, and vice versa. They certainly confused the hell out of me because I wasn't sure if the hopeless romantic would ever find true love. However, Lady A left us with a happing ending to their depressing stories and it turned out to be sweetly impressive. "Own the Night" gets a rating of 4.9/5

Lady Antebellum delivers a solid album in Own The Night, granted, it wasn't quite what I expected in the wake of the wildly successful Need You Now. It has a slower sound compared to their self-titled album and Need You Now. I thought it was a bit heavy in ballads but it was evident this album was a dedication to love and love rejected. I miss the energy and tempo Lady A brought to songs like "Stars Tonight", "Perfect Day", "Love This Pain", "Our Kind of Love", "Looking For A Good Time", and "I Run to You". That being said, Charles and Hillary complement each other very well vocally that it's impossible for me not to like anything they sing (along with Dave on backing vocals). Despite a couple songs I didn't really enjoy that much, this is an album I'd willingly listen to and sing along to time and time again. Here's a run-down of my impressions/opinions on each song:

"We Owned The Night" - 8/10 - The title track starts the album off pretty well. It's an upbeat song and definitely one of the better tracks on the album. This song pretty much sets the theme of this album (feeling on top of the world being in a new relationship/reflecting on memories of that affection).

"Just a Kiss" - 9/10 - This song is one of my favorites on the album, enough so, that it's been my phone ringtone since the song was released as a single. I especially love the blend of piano, drums, and vocals.

"Dancing Away With My Heart" - 7/10 - A good slow song but it didn't immediately grab me as a single. Still worth a listen.

"Friday Night" - 6/10 - I thought the rushed words clashed with the instrumental portions of the song. Despite listening to this song multiple times, I'm still not sure this song really appeals to me. It had the potential to be a good upbeat song but I would have preferred a different track in place of this one.

"When You Were Mine" - 7/10 - Continues the trend of songs that are relationship based but doesn't really stand out on its own.

"Cold As Stone" - 9/10 - I love this ballad. Definitely one of the highlights of this album. Charles is my favorite male singer in country music today because his voice is always so emotive and he doesn't disappoint in this song!

"Singing Me Home" - 6/10 - Maybe it was just me, but I didn't really like this song that much.

"Wanted You More" - 8/10 - I liked the mix of vocals and instrumentals in this song.

"As You Turn Away" - 9/10 - One of my favorite songs on Own The Night. I think this one would have been better as a single instead of Dancing Away With My Heart. Hillary's vocals really shine in this song.

"Love I've Found In You" - 7/10 - An upbeat song with a good tune.

"Somewhere Love Remains" - 8/10 - Another ballad about love. I think by now, I would have liked another theme. Still a good song.

"Heart of the World" - 10/10 - I would say that this song is the best on the album. Lady A really knows how to pick select songs that they haven't written themselves that fit them perfectly (just like "Hello World").

I believe lady A truly has a winner here...I have never really been a fan of them, but I will have to concede that this is a great cd..this is without comparing them to a more typical sound or music style that would generally be more to my liking. The sound is clean crisp and has good musicianship and great vocal blending. Peaceful tunes for the most part (my wife loves them) but not boring and drab or vocally overbearing.
I have a wide variation in my musical likes, but essentially the musicianship is always at the forefront. This cd has a good blend of both vocals and musical accompaniment. Very clean and distinct composition...... easily their best, so far.

This is a great CD -- perfect for any mood! Very easy listening. This is my second CD of Lady A and I really like it. Would recommend to anyone who enjoys country music.

Lady Antebellum has done it again, a very solid album. This is simply one of the best contemporary country cds of this year. I enjoyed every song on the album and they've all got some great production and real emotion in them. Charles, Hillary, and Dave should be proud of themselves. They are all talented and they know how to use it.

I am impresssed by this album from Lady Antebellum. They are really improving. Not only with the sound, but the lyrics and the vocals. Every song has a nice tune to it, and I really believe they deserve a lot more for this album. I have always liked Lady A, but this album makes me love them. This album was really worth the wait. This album is 5 stars because I love it, and this shows improvement. Every song is great!

Must buy!

Lady A comes out and does it again. The last album produced the hit 'Need You Now' which was like the absolutely perfect Christmas or Birthday gift that just simply can never be outdone. However, within the first 15 seconds of putting this cd in my car's player, I was texting a friend and saying "the new Lady A cd is going to be amazing and I haven't even gotten half way through the first song". Since that text on the Wednesday after the cd came out, I haven't pulled the cd from my car or stopped it to listen to anything else. There is rarely a cd that comes along that you can just listen to in its entirety without skipping any songs. Lady Antebellum did that with their previous cd and they've done it again.
The first song, 'Own the Night', hasn't failed to not boost my mood, get me ready to dance, or just be a great song to listen to in the morning, afternoon, or evening. It's upbeat and makes you smile. It's followed by the hit single 'Just a Kiss' which is the song I immediately played for my fiance and told him that it reminded me of he & I a few weeks before we got together in our "just friend" stage. The upbeat & country laced 'Friday Night' is just perfect for any warm night driving in the car with the windows down while the more downplayed 'Cold As Stone' and 'Wanted You More' may make you look back at your past and be great for a romantic slow dance. Over all this cd may have songs that you don't want to listen to all the time but if you want a cd that you can pop in and don't have to fuss over finding songs for wherever you're going or for the perfect mood that you're in, this is it because you can put it on repeat and sing to the steering wheel.

After winning five Grammys, Lady Antebellum had the gargantuan task of following one of the most successful efforts of 2010, Need You Now. While Own The Night is solid, it does not eclipse Need You Now by any means, hence making its buzz still strong, but a bit more `down to earth' than its predecessor. Well produced and featuring some fine, artistic moments, Own the Night never produces another "Need You Now" or "American Honey" - `it is what it is.'

"We Owned the Night" is a capable opener, opening with mysterious organ-like pad and featuring Charles Kelley on lead vocals. Hillary Scott is mixed in the background throughout, with Kelley never relinquishing the lead here. The vocal harmonies are lovely as always and the cut overall proves to be one of the shining moments of the effort First single "Just a Kiss" keeps up the momentum, though lacks the magic of Lady Antebellum's best and most distinct singles. Regardless, the chemistry is still present between Scott and Kelley and the songwriting is solid. "Dancin' Away with My Heart" is none too shabby, if predictable. Scott and Kelley trade verses for the most part, coming together on the refrain. The first three cuts are rock-solid.

"Friday Night" possesses more of a pop/rock edge. While the accelerated tempo is a nice thought, the quicker pace dictates more of a disconnect to the listener than say LA's ballads. "When You Were Mine" suffers from being a bit too long, nearly clocking in at five minutes. Despite this, there are some highlights: use of B3, ostinato-flavored piano lines, and of course those signature harmonies. "Cold As Stone" resurrects the effort as it threatens to fall flat. Songwriting is key, as is solid, relaxed production. The only rubs - predictability and length. "Singing Me Home" smartly finds the trio picking up the tempo and they even yield a catchy refrain: "My sweet love keeps singing me home (keeps singing, love keeps singing)."

"Wanted You More" features the typical minimalist fodder and typical sound, one rub hindering Lady Antebellum's ultimate artistry. "As You Turn Away" is a B+, finding Hillary Scott handling lead vocal duties. "Love I've Found In You" has a more natural country sound, sans the `pop.' The `tongue-in-cheek' quality is a bit corny, but not too over exaggerated. The instrumental soloing is a solid point. "Somewhere Love Remains" is too long while "Heart of the World" is appropriately placed without being incredibly important to the overall product.

Overall, Own The Night `is what it is.' It is enjoyable but never revolutionary. Many might argue that is the same with all of Lady Antebellum albums. Hopefully, the artists keep up the beautiful vocal harmonies but also strive to further develop and extend upon their style. If they don't they may grow a bit boring. Overall, a solid album.

Who doesn't love their sound? This is truly one of the best cd's out there with a mix of heartfelt ballads to keep you humming all day!