Lady Antebellum Is Back After Their Heart Break
Probably one of the most exciting things about following an artist you love is discovering what’s next. Whether it is their leading single, their next album release date, or a new tour. Or in Lady Antebellum’s case on January 19th it was all three. They released their next single You Look Good along with a lyric video. The lyric video was a compilation of home video from the trio’s hiatus in an LA house where they dedicated all their time hanging out and writing for their 6th studio album. If you didn’t pay attention the last clip of the video was an old piece of a Webisode Wednesday episode, which Lady A used to release every Wednesday, from June 9th 2007. Charles thanking you for watching the video and saying they were excited to get everything moving and Hillary adding can’t wait to see you on the road. This was a little hint because minutes later it was revealed their next album comes out June 9th this year and the You Look Good World Tour kicks off in May!
After taking an extended break from the road to regroup, write, and get back to the core of who they are as songwriters Lady A was busting to share all the news with their fans. They certainly know how to make an announcement! That same night Lady A performed in Nashville and streamed the performance for Facebook Live. They performed 4 new songs off the new album, including the title track Heart Break: This City, Somebody Else’s Heart, You Look Good, and Heart Break.
The best part of Lady Antebellum being back is actually how refreshed they feel and how genuinely excited they are to be back. It is also what makes them so enjoyable to watch live. Listening to them talk about their process and inspiration makes you have an extra admiration and connection to the experience. Lady A kept it coming by partnering with Live from the Artists Den the following month. Artists Den is an awesome company that gives ultimate fans the best most intimate experiences. Bringing your favorites to beautiful places, not necessarily a designated concert venues, they produce invite only/enter-to-win pop up shows. Each show is filmed for a season, so what better timing than right after all these return announcements for the next taping to be Lady A? The secret location lucky for me was a beautiful old cathedral the United Palace Theater in NYC. Video and awesome pictures of course will be saved for the release of that episode of Live from the Artists Den. An episode definitely worth the wait because if I could truly express the amazing feeling of being front row to their show and the energy of their performance (especially when the band interacts with you like only this band does-better than any other performers) you will be itching to go to as many shows this summer your schedule allows. What I will dive into is a breakdown of the six new songs I’ve heard between the Nashville Facebook Live performance and the Artist Den taping in New York.
This City. This one seems to be the upbeat set opener of the album. Each tour there’s always one extremely high energy song that opens up the night. For the Wheels Up tour it was Long Stretch of Love. The main line of the chorus that will stick in your head “this city never looked so good the way it looks on you”.
You Look Good. Speaking of energy Hillary finally got her wish (and mine too personally) to add horns to a Lady Antebellum song, a request apparently she’s been asking for since the beginning of the band 10 years ago. Charles Kelley commented that as long as their road wife is happy they’re happy at their Nashville show. He has also commented that they knew they wanted to come back in a big way and love experimenting with new sounds. Thank goodness they do because the lead single is just that, fresh and funky. “They’re like ‘hey who that there with the shades like oh, the way you move to the bass hold up whole room gets to spinnin from the second you walk in And baby you look good, all day all night you look good, so fresh so fine.” Lady A wrote You Look Good with Ryan Hurd and producer Busbee. Below is a video of Ryan Hurd performing his demo version from his opening set on Maren Morris’ Hero Tour. As good as Ryan rocks out to it don’t miss the Lady A and horns experience live, trust me!
Somebody Else’s Heart & You Could Hurt Somebody Like That. As much as we love Lady A pushing boundaries and bringing us new sounds nobody can deny that they do nostalgic love songs better than anybody else. These next two songs are classic Lady A. Somebody Else’s Heart is a dramatic, passionate song about knowing better about crossing that line with somebody, but just for one night wanting to love them with somebody else’s heart to avoid the pain and emotion. Such a unique perspective and yet so easily relatable from the first time I heard the lyric. In New York before the final encore of Need You Now, their most popular nostalgic love song, they debuted another slow yet powerful ballad You Could Hurt Somebody Like That (probably the title, the set list only said Hurt for short). Sweet harmonies with Hillary center stage singing about loving someone halfheartedly or going back and forth can really hurt someone.
Army. You can’t have a band centered around a Lady without some female empowerment songs. On the lighter, sassier side Downtown was that song for the band back in 2013 ‘ I got a dress that will show a little uh uh but you ain’t getting uh uh if you don’t come pick me up (damn) show me off (wow) you might be tired but I’m not!” Introducing this song in NY Hillary said this was probably her favorite song off the album. A song about a man admitting if anyone thinks he is the hero it’s only because she’s his army. “If anyone thinks I’m a hero than she’s an army she’s an army/ I’m beating to the rhythm of her heartbeat”
Heart Break. One of Charles Kelley’s top three favorite songs on the album. On the surface about taking a break from going from relationship to relationship, but as Dave Haywood explains why it is the title track off the album the song’s deeper meaning represents the band’s year or two break. They needed the time to devote solely to their songwriting like it was in the beginning when creating their first album 10 years ago. Just like jumping from relationship the three needed to take a break from being pulled in so many directions, instead of writing on the road and doing a million other things, their families gave them the creative freedom to just freeze everything out and write. The three moved into a house in LA for a month and did nothing but write with each other and other songwriters. As amazing performers these three are at their core they are songwriters and that’s exactly where they needed to get back to this time around. "What I really need is a reset and a deep breath a little rest between my ex and my next/ I think it’s time to take a heart break/I'm sleeping like a queen in the California king I’m in” This is great advice for anybody (both relationship wise and the greater metaphor behind the song) and just from the first weeks back Lady Antebellum proved how effective it is. They are definitely back refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to hit the road and the front stage where they rightfully belong! Keep checking ladyantebellum.com for on sale dates for You Look Good World Tour with Kelsea Ballerini and Brett Young.
