A Place to Land (CD) by Little Big Town

Eagle-Young-Mac, that's what Little Big Town can use as an alternative name if the need for one ever arises. The group's latest release A Place To Land borrows heavily from the Eagles, Neil Young, and Fleetwood Mac. Thankfully, in this case, imitation is more than just flattery, it's also a pleasurable audio experience.

A Place To Land is steeped heavily in the sounds of the '70s. The Eagles' Very Best Of, Young's Harvest, and Fleetwood Mac's Rumours albums must spin constantly on the Little Big Town tour bus, along with albums from The Band, Bread, and America. From the Lindsay Buckingham-esque progressions, to the Eagles-like harmonies, every one of the 12 songs on the disc resonates with familiarity but somehow manages to stand on its own as a unique composition.

The album's first single, the jangling "I'm With The Band," rings like a pocket full of change. A life out on the road, traveling from city to city, playing shows, getting lost in the moment and the music, never sounded so good. Phillip Sweet, Jimi Westbrook, Karen Fairchild and Kimberly Schlapman, all of whom share vocal duties, deliver nectarous four-part harmonies that are like manna from heaven.

B-3 organ, pedal steel, Dobro, and mandolin are the instruments of choice for much of A Place To Land. The acoustically inclined "Vapor" even has a dulcimer on it. Sweet, Westbrook, Fairchild, and Schlapman douse the earthy instrumentation with kerosene vocals and strike a match. The song smoulders like a rain soaked cigarette as the foursome sing emotion fuelled lines like, "Life is a vapor, fire and paper/ Gonna make the most of it, before it's gone."

Little Big Town co-wrote 10 of the album's tracks, including the ghostly "Evangeline" and the clever "Novocaine." The latter is a nimble cut with ululating Dobro licks. Songwriter Jon Randall ("Whiskey Lullaby") is responsible for two of the album's tracks, including, "Firebird Fly." Usually Randall's pen drips pure gold, but this particular song is riddled with clich���s. Randall redeems himself, though, with "Lonely Enough," a ruminative number dressed up in an elegant acoustic arrangement. Sweet's, Westbrook's, Fairchild's, and Schlapman's vocals are angelical.

After toiling in obscurity for years, 2005's platinum-plus Road To Here brought Little Big Town much deserved success and respect. A Place To Land should cement the band's reputation as a bankable act and guarantee a lengthy career.

By Todd Sterling