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Date published: 11/2/2009
By WALTER TUNIS McCLATCHY-TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE It is record-release day for Lyle Lovett. His 14th album, "Natural Forces," is being unleashed on the world. Typically, such an occasion--Oct. 20, in this case-- becomes the apex of a promotional push, a day loaded with TV appearances, performances and any number of exercises to capitalize on what is, in essence, "opening day" for a recording. For Lovett--multiple Gram-my Award-winning songsmith, stylistically innovative bandleader and all-around Texan--the day is something of a breather. A tour with fellow songwriting pal John Hiatt ended two days earlier. In less than a week, he will be back on the road for a month's worth of shows with his Large Band, the brassy Americana army that has been his most visible performance vehicle for the past two decades. That means that although "Natural Forces" introduces the next edition of Lyle Lovett music, Lovett himself is back, briefly, in the only place he has ever called home: Texas. "It's exactly where I've lived all my life," he said, "on the same piece of ground I grew up on outside of Houston." REPRESENTING TEXAS To many, Lovett is the modern embodiment of Texas music--its celebratory swing, its vigorous country soul and, most of all, its extraordinary literate sense of storytelling. His songs are outlined with thieving hearts, family yarns and an unfailing pride in anything that hails from Lone Star territory. In short, Lovett isn't merely a Texas artist. He is the state's unofficial cultural ambassador to the universe. "All of that is high praise," Lovett said by phone. "But I just feel that like my music is a reflection of the music I'm drawn to, my intention with the songs I write is to say, 'Hey, this is where I'm from.'" WHAT'S NEW ALBUM LIKE? On "Natural Forces," the Texas inspirations are two-fold. There are four new compositions (one of which, "Pantry," is reprised with a bluegrass arrangement), six tunes written by fellow Texas songwriters who have long been friends and mentoring influences, and a song ("It's Rock and Roll") that he co-wrote nearly three dec-ades ago with fellow Lone Star scribe Robert Earl Keen. For Lovett, the initial songwriting pull came from the masters: Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Vince Bell and scores of other Texas songwriters. But not even Texas could contain Lovett's expanding celebrity status as the '90s progressed.
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