Lyle Lovett names
12th of June, his first album in a decade, after the 2017 day when he became a father of twins. New parenthood is a large factor in the long gap between
12th of June and
Release Me, the 2012 album that wrapped up his lengthy contract with
Curb Records, curbing the productivity of a songwriter who already moved at an exacting pace. Don't expect
12th of June to be a clearinghouse for new tunes, either.
Lovett approached the album as a vehicle to reintroduce himself and his
Large Band to the world at large, so it mirrors not only his live show but such earlier albums as, say,
Lyle Lovett and His Large Band. There's a hopping instrumental jump blues opener, then a bit of mischief -- in this case, "Pants Is Overrated," an observation he gleaned from watching his two toddlers cavort in their diapers -- before settling into astutely chosen jazz and blues standards punctuated by plaintive Texan balladeering and the occasional clever original. It's a familiar formula, but it works, possibly because absence does indeed make the heart grow fonder: it's simply a pleasure to hear a new
Lyle Lovett album after ten years. There's also a slightly bittersweet air to the record's genial vibe, an emotion that floats to the top on its nakedly sincere title track and exists below the surface on
Lovett's sublime duets with longtime vocal sparring partner
Francine Reed on "Peel Me a Grape" and "Gee, Baby, Ain't I Good to You." These tunes were centerpieces on latter-day set lists by the
Large Band and, as
Reed has decided to retire as of 2022, it makes sense that they're preserved here; it's a tribute to a vocalist who has been an integral part of
Lovett's music through the decades. Based upon a surface spin to
12th of June, it's difficult to discern those passing years -- on a superficial level, it could've been released any time after 1989's
His Large Band, as it follows its blueprint to a tee -- but a close listen reveals these subtle nods to shifting times, which is enough to make this a nourishing experience in addition to an outright good time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
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