Little Big Town - It's A Dying Art
MCA/Fontana Records
****1/2
With so much music so freely available, it’s easy to get lost in the noise, to fall back on a too-familiar sound from the ocean of possible influences. Little Big Town, navigate expertly against the tide on this, their first album for MCA/Fontana. Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet, and Jimi Westbrook have travelled a winding road since first coming together in 1998. Though recognised for their harmony-led pop/country styling, there’s always been something much deeper about their musical roots. Many country acts push against the boundaries of genres and many refuse to be defined by a genre label, but you can’t really rebel against a genre unless you feel part of it, too. Since their inception, LBT has played a pivotal role in the growth of modern country music. The sound here is ambitious and open, folding in the best of quite a few of my favourite genres, but perhaps the album’s biggest strength is the Yin and the Yang chasing each other in every song. The sonic differences in each of the dozen tracks showcase the long list of influences and collaborative songwriting that the band possess with outside writers. Their decision in keeping things almost entirely acoustic (and without drums) makes this record sound totally authentic and not tied to any specific trend or era. To that, add thoughtful songwriting and a willingness to take chances with the genre, and you have a perfect band for today’s pluralistic, fusion-oriented country music scene.
It was an adventurous step releasing the poignant piano ballad Hey There Sunshine as the first single, opening new avenues for the group’s artistry. Combining modern pop-country music with serious content, without forgetting accessibility, it’s intimate in tone, but expansive in ambition. The heartfelt vocals ring through your mind long after the sound fades away. The result is by turns stunning, gorgeous, and uplifting. They open the album with an acapella intro to Sucker For A Sad Song, featuring co-writer Ashley Monroe, who brings her sultry vocals to this break-up tune. Unsettled and inventive, alternating between tender dreamy organ-based soundscapes and a smooth 1970s soul vibe. But uniting it all is a sharp ear for melody and the optimistic lyrical explorations, making for an irresistible track. With Dying Art they stick with what works, but change it up just enough to surprise, The Door, a duet with Jason Isbell, is dark and moody, but, with a surprise twist, whilst It’s Coming Around rocks in a good way.
Although this album has sunny moments, including the toe-tapping Jet Plane, gripping tales of struggle and heartbreak tend to set the tone. The simple acoustic melody of The Idea heralds a leap into a romantic abyss. Think Thelma and Louise. Over And Over relies on the group’s velvety harmonies to convey a deep longing following a messy break-up. We get a softer version of LBT with Long Way To Your Heart, and on the melodic pop gem Closing Time they are joined by Kelsea Ballerini. And on it goes, with a tip of the hat to Christopher Cross 1980s crooning (We Could Have It All), to funky Bayou blues (Crickets). You may even forget it’s Little Big Town in your ear.
You are not altogether sure what or who you are listening to when you fire up IT’S A DYING ART. This is not a bad thing, of course. It just means that the nerds among us, who like to pigeon-hole their music, will have a hard time placing it. It is not Americana, not folk, not pop, and not country. Yet, it is a bit of all of those and more, depending on what track you are on. And if that’s not enough to keep you interested, the eclectic lyrics from Little Big Town will. It is nothing if not entertaining. This is a good album—just don’t expect to be able to compartmentalise it.
August 2026