ENJOY THE RIDE - 9868

Amazon.com One of country's fastest-rising acts, Sugarland arrive at their follow-up to 2004's triple-platinum Twice the Speed of Life in a considerably altered state. Chief songwriter and founding member Kristen Hall is gone, and producer Garth Fundis (Trisha Yearwood) has been usurped in favor of crossover hitmaker Byron Gallimore (Tim McGraw, Faith Hill). One could argue that these are the predictable results of success--by opening for such megastars as Kenny Chesney and Brooks & Dunn, the Atlanta-based trio was forced to retool its organic, singer-songwriter, folk-rock sound to fill arenas. And while their intricate vocal harmonies added a subtle creative dimension to their debut, Enjoy the Ride is made up mostly of songs ("County Line," "Mean Girls") constructed to showcase lead singer Jennifer Nettles's big voice in ways the previous album did not. While the repertoire was written by Nettles and surviving partner Kristian Bush in collaboration with proven songsmiths Bobby Pinson, Lisa Carver, and Tim Owens, much of the wistful intimacy of the first album is now diminished. Furthermore, it seems foolish to now call this act a duo, as Bush receives very little time in the spotlight apart from his vocal harmonies and performance on guitar and mandolin. None of this should matter on the charts, however, since the real focus was always on Nettles, whose twangy, force-field soprano more than carries the day. As before, the lyrics are upbeat and positive--if the message of the first album was of flight and searching, the theme here is of digging in. The winsome Nettles does a fine job of selling it all, positioning herself as the Ambassador of Optimism, the Deep South successor to Jo Dee Messina. --Alanna Nash Product description CD About the Artist The story of Sugarland is one of those fairy-tale country music successes that just warms your heart. For one thing, it has the most idyllic of starts: an early morning round of coffee at an Atlanta Starbucks where Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush sat down and penned a list of their dreams on a napkin. 1.) Balance being in a band and having a family 2.) Get a Grammy nomination 3.) Sell a million records Check. Check. And double check. In the two years since the Top Five single "Baby Girl" put Sugarland on the map, they've accomplished more than anyone ever expected, least of all Jennifer and Kristian themselves. With almost three million copies sold of their Mercury Nashville debut, Twice The Speed Of Life, an American Music Award for "Favorite Breakthrough Artist," an Academy of Country Music Award for "New Duo/Group of the Year," a Grammy nomination for "Best New Artist," six CMA nods, arena tours from coast-to-coast and appearances on national TV shows like The Tonight Show and Good Morning America, the little band that could did, in a big way. "Once we hit the million mark, that was a head-scratcher for me," says Kristian. "Anything past that, I never imagined." Audiences clearly connected with Sugarland's honest-to-goodness approach to life, love and everything in between, a trademark not only of their songs, but of their entire existence. "Our purpose is to make emotions tangible," Jennifer reflects. "To celebrate the human condition with all its victories and heartaches and to have that moment when someone listens to your record or comes to a show and thinks, 'Man, we are the same.'" Adds Kristian: "It's like using your superhuman power to remind everyone that they're just human. Because it is a superhuman experience to walk on stage or to record yourself, but we're all about breaking down that wall and making a connection that resonates." To that end, the fact that Sugarland's debut has remained a fixture on the country charts for over 98 weeks certainly proves that the band has made its mark on Music Row, while tours opening for the likes of Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn and Brad Paisley had the same impact on country music fans nationwide. And thanks to an appearance on CMT's Crossroads with Bon Jovi (the series' highest rated episode to date) and the resulting #1 hit, "Who Says You Can't Go Home," the band has even crossed over into pop territory. All of this makes Sugarland's follow-up, Enjoy The Ride, one of the year's most anticipated releases. But like their last-minute booking to close the 2005 ACM's during which they filled in for an ailing George Strait, Kristian and Jennifer have no problem handling pressure. In fact, they thrive on it. "I love it," says Jennifer. "You can feel the engines revving. It's so exciting it makes my nostrils flare!" But beyond words, freedom is key to Sugarland's formula for success. After all, the band was signed on the merits of their demos which, with a little polish and a lot of faith, essentially became their first record. "In retrospect, I now understand how deeply our label and manager trusted us," says Kristian, a former alternative folk-rocker who grew up on college radio favorites like The Replacement
ASIN: B000HKDENI
VSKU: 4EKGLF007HXV_ns
Condition: Good
Author/Artist:SUGARLAND
Binding: Audio CD