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Lady Antebellum – Ocean

Florian Buechting Media Review No Comments

There were a couple of key songs which made me more and more get into country music. One them was definitely Need You Now by Lady Antebellum (or “Lady A.”, how they are called in brief). Thus, whenever there is new material by the band, it is in special focus to me. On 15th November 2019, Lady A. released a new album, Ocean.

 

Lady Antebellum – About The Band

Lady Antebellum was formed in Nashville in 2006. The three members are Hillary Scott, who is just doing the vocals as well es Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, who also play a couple of instruments. The name of the band was formed when they did a photoshoot together in front of antebellum houses. Already their very first single, the 2007 Love Don’t Live Here, made it to #3 of US Country Charts and #5 in Canada. The last single of their 2008 self-titled debut album, I Run To You, was their first chart-topper in the US and Canadian country charts. The album itself also topped the charts in the US as well as the UK Country Charts.

The following albums, the 2010 Need You Now and the 2011 Own The Night topped the US Country, the US (general) album charts, Canada and the UK country charts. The band already reached very good chart positions in other non-country markets like the Netherlands or Switzerland. One driver was the single Need You Now, which sold massively in 2009 and reiceved nine time platinum in the US, but also made it to the charts in other markets. At the time of writing, the official video has already been streamed over 340 million times. While the overseas success slightly faded, multiple songs and albums peaked high in the US and Canadian country charts.

 

Lady Antebellum – Ocean – Track By Track

There are 13 stages / songs on the musical ride though the Ocean. The album lasts some 47 minute.

1. What If I Never Get Over You

What If I Never Get Over You is already deep in the country fans’ hearts. Not too surprising that this one was the first single – just a really good song.

2. Pictures

I am not too much of a fan of Pictures. The song is nice, but it it does not really touch me, in contrast to What If I Never Get Over You.

3. Crazy Love

Crazy Love, the first song on Ocean, which I did not know beforehand, is a nice gentle ballad. I like that song, especially due to well-arranged instrumentation with a lot of string sounds and the present voices in the foreground.

4. You Can Do You

You Can Do You is the second really good song on the album to me. It has a strong rhythm, a catchy melody, so that you just have to listen to it. A bit more rocking and a lot of class country tunes – but it still feels Lady A. Well done!

5. What I’m Leaving For

Another rather ballad-alike song. Sounds a lot of Lady A. again. I like the lyrics, the song becomes stronger towards its end. I want a song to touch me – either touch me heart, make me think or make me dance. It does a bit of something, but not enough.

6. Be Patient With My Love

On the longest track of Ocean, Lady Antebellum is showing a lot of their key strengths. The vocal mix of the trio allows them to create a unique sound. This song feels so simple, so easily and gently arranged – but that makes it a good one. I love to listen to Be Patient With My Love.

7. Alright

The beginning of Alright somehow reminded me of some Kelsea Ballerini songs – but with the first chorus latest, this one becomes a nice Lady Antebellum country pop song, on which Hillary is quite dominant on that track. Unfortunately, towards the end, the song feels a bit too long to me.

8. Let It Be Love

Lady Antebellum is such a simple band to me: whenever their songs focus on their voices, they touch me. The slow Let It Be Love is one of these tracks. Some of you may feel that it is a boring one – I just enjoy to feel the music.

9. On a Night Like This

A lovely vocal-dominated romatic song. Some of the previous ones were better, but they do a good one here.

10. Boots

After so many slower tracks, there is rhythm, there is the wish to dance again. Boots may not be a song deep for the heart – but it will your boots move, I am sure!

11. The Thing That Wrecks You (feat. Little Big Town)

I was looking very much forward: a cooperation of the nice vocalists of Lady Antebellum with the vocal superstars of Little Big town. The vocals definitely keep what the lineup of that track promises. Really nice arrangement with a high potential of memrability.

12. Mansion

Mansion has its own sound and charater, definitely. This makes it a quite outstanding track on the album. I however would not say that I absolitely fell in love to it.

13. Ocean

Finally, here is the title track! Quite a lot of piano as a farewell from the deep sea. Bye, bye Ocean!

 

Lady Antebellum – Ocean – Spotify

Spotify allows you to pre-listen to Ocean:

Lady Antebellum – Ocean – My View

The last weeks gave me Luke Combs’ What You See Is What You Get and Miranda Lambert’s Wildcard. I was hoping for another masterpiece with Lady Antebellum’s Ocean – but this album is closer to plastic waste in the salty water than a beautiful dolphin jumping through the waves. What If I Never Get Over You is definitely a good one, but afterwards, there is too much average, too few catchy songs. Not too many reasons to keep that album in mind or to buy it at your local store, especially if you own the single already. Bad luck!

 

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