It's Not Big It's Large [Deluxe Edition]

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Editorial Reviews:

Amazon.com
On his sophomore effort for Lost Highway (and first release in four years), Lyle Lovett tests the label's free-spirited reputation with an eclectic slate of songs that range from fervent country swing through gospel-blues, though the core here finds the Texas singer-songwriter in a decidedly quiet, introspective mood. Anchored by a vibrant, swinging take on Lester Young's "Tickle Toe," his big band's first sprawling instrumental workout in many a year, Lovett quickly segues into the intriguing gospel-blues of the "I Will Rise Up/Ain't No More Cane" medley before shrewdly contemplating the backside of life and fame's inevitable grade on "All Downhill from Here" and the weary "This Traveling Around." The plaintive grace of "Don't Cry a Tear" and "The Alley Song" hauntingly blurs genre boundaries, while "South Texas Girl" does a little quiet Tex-Mex retrenchment. Lovett celebrates his 50th year here with a muse that's ever restless, yet still spry enough to relish the simple, varied joys of the buoyant "Up in Indiana" (also featured in a stripped-down acoustic version), the bluesy "No Big Deal," and the gospel-meets-carnal playfulness of "Make It Happy" before another fervent, elegiac version of "Ain't No More Cane" brings the album full-circle. This deluxe edition features a bonus DVD that weaves live versions of key album tracks into a documentary that chronicles the album's artistic gestation and recording sessions. --Jerry McCulley

Album Description
While music should be and is open for interpretation by the listener, Lovett's new album, IT'S NOT BIG IT'S LARGE, suggests notions of mortality, loss and the fluidity of time. In many of the songs, the past intrudes on the present and the narrator finds strength to deal with the travails of today by putting them into historical perspective. That sounds like heavy-going, but its Lovett's gift to make the deep thoughts slide down like honey.

Album Description
DELUXE CD + DVD EDITION. After a four year hiatus, multi-grammy winner Lyle Lovett is back with his Large Band with his new album, It's Not Big It's Large. Seamlessly incorporating aspects of country, gospel, jazz, & bluegrass musical genres has always been a forte of his, but never has it been so effortless than with this most recent outing with his Large Band.

Customer Reviews: Read 13 more reviews...

5 out of 5 stars

Lovett returns to earlier influences August 31, 2007
14 out of 15 found this review helpful

"It's Not Big It's Large" will be a breath of fresh air to any Lyle Lovett fan, starved for new music from the gifted Texan, who had been an insanely original blend of not quite country, not quite jazz and not quite blues. Lyle has not had a new release since 2003's "My Baby Don't Tolerate," his first release on the Lost Highway label. "Tolerate" was a solid, if unspectacular effort that managed to peak at #7 on the C&M charts largely because of the re-release of two earlier Lovett standards, "San Antonio Girl" and "The Truck Song" as well as the lively "Cute as a Bug."

Lovett had four definitive efforts from 1986 to 1996, "Pontiac," " Lyle Lovett and His Large Band," "Joshua Judges Ruth" and "The Road to Ensenada" before veering off in a different direction, one that I tolerated (no pun intended) because it was Lyle but a direction I did not like nearly as well. "It's Not Big" represents a return to that early 90's Lovett sound that I found to be so original and refreshing.
Lovett's Large Band was always tight, and this CD is no different.

Returning from "Ensenada" are the backbone of the Large Band, bass player Vicktor Krauss, guitarists Mitch Watkins and Dean Parks, cello player John Hagan, mandolin player Sam Bush, drummer Russ Kunkle, Matt Rollings on keys and the sweet harmonies of Sweet Pea Atkinson and Francine Reed. These performers have lost nothing and continue to form a sweet blend of blues, jazz and country that almost no one else I know can pull off.

This CD had me hooked from the opening riffs of Tickle Toe, which takes you back to the jazz influences of 1989's Lyle Lovett and His Large Band. "Make it Happy" will remind you of "Church" from the "Joshua" album. And "Travelling Around" seems to be influenced by one of my favorite Lovett cuts "If I Needed You." "No Big Deal" is Lovett at his jazzy-bluesy best, and "Ain't No More Cane" recalls Lovett's spiritual influences. There are two versions of "Up in Indiana "on this CD, the latter an acoustic bluegrass version that features some incredible dobro, fiddle and mandolin playing that will have you tapping your feet. The Alley Song is a soft ballad that will take you back to the title track of "Ensenada."

All in all, this CD will likely not go down as his very best effort, but when all is said and done I will clump this CD with the four albums described earlier as albums all Lyle Lovett fans will want to own.

5 out of 5 stars

A Ripping, Mournful, Perfect Album September 9, 2007
8 out of 11 found this review helpful

Review for Extended Discs

"Perhaps only a few regular folks know that Lovett is a country music artist, a member of an elite group of Texas songwriters who has combined Tin Pan Alley sophistication, folk directness, and country-and-western storytelling to create a dazzling hybrid form of American music. " Will Layman

Lyle Lovett has a new CD with his glorious "Large Band", and double entendre titled, 'It's Not Big, It's Large.' My best friend and I listened to this CD together. It is dark, funny and oh so sweet. It took only two listens to realize that this CD may be his best. The 12 songs are finely tuned, and the band is more restrained to allow Lyle Lovett's voice and guitar playing to shine through.

'I Will Rise Up' is about death. "And I will rise up / Though I be a dead man / And I will stand tall / Until I meet my end". A bluesy gospel tune.

His next tune,'All Downhill' "A ride a good horse / I like him, of course / I've got a beautiful girlfriend / Sometimes we stay in". "I've had an excellent time so far / There's only one thing I fear / I've been up so long on this lucky star / It could be all downhill from here". Oh, yes, we hear the fun and the warning.

'Don't Cry a Tear', "Go if you must go / Turn if you must turn away / Don't cry a tear for me / Laugh if you can smile / Run if you're walking away / Don't cry a tear for me / Shout if can speak / Sing if you mention my name / Don't cry a tear for me". This is a classic of Lyle Lovett's, a sadness with beautiful guitar playing.

"This Traveling Around" is a simple tune. "And this travelin' around / It's gonna be the death of me" we understand from the lyrics why he can't go home.

'South Texas Girl', is a tune about childhood and parents. "And I didn't know what the words meant or anything / I was just singing."

'Up in Indiana',is a song about a girl named 'Rose', and is a tune with country rockin' and bluegrass band.

'The Alley Song' is the inimitable Lyle Lovett song. "I don't have to see your eyes / To know what you're not thinkin'".

'No Big Deal about a lover who cheats.

'Make It Happy' is joyful. "I am a happy sun of a gun"

'Ain't No More Cane'sounds like a church hymn. Slow and resounding.

"Across this great expanse of transcendent American music, Lyle Lovett emerges as a humble hero. He writes the stories of people struggling with the most important questions of identity, mortality, sex, and justice; he gives his brilliant band and singers a platform for individual expression; and he places the tradition of "country music" within the context of all of America's best music, regardless of style." Jim Newell

This is a CD for the ages. Lyle Lovett has used his resources to match his mood of sadness, fun, death and love. This is the perfect antidote to an everyday humdrum life. Put on the CD, clap your hands, stamp your feet and dance on the ceiling. Country, rock and old time church goin' songs are the forte. Wonderfully written tunes with a message and story. Sure to become a staple for the Lyle Lovett fans.

Highly, Highly recommended. prisrob 09-09-07

Pontiac

The Road to Ensenada

Anthology, Vol. 1: Cowboy Man

5 out of 5 stars

This is a truly beautiful musical effort. August 31, 2007
7 out of 8 found this review helpful

A breath of fresh air in a landscape of mediocre music.

Absolutely wonderful on many levels.

5 out of 5 stars

It's t big, it's terrific September 28, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

I always look forward to Lyle Lovett's new recordings because of his unique approach to music. His previous recording with his Large Band continues to be one of my favorites and this one is at least as good.

5 out of 5 stars

It's not big, it is AMAZING! September 28, 2007
2 out of 3 found this review helpful

I have been enjoying Lyle Lovett for 20 years and have seen him live numerous times. Last fall '06 I had the opportunity to see him twice and I loved the new music he was performing and have been dying to have it on CD. Finally!!! Way overdue!

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