Mr. Sun [B&N Exclusive] [Sky Blue Vinyl] in Bloomington, MN

Take the title
Mr. Sun
to heart. This,
Little Big Town
's tenth proper studio album, is filled with sweetness, hope, and light, a record built for comfort, not speed. Consider the overwhelming sweetness as the band's way of processing the upheaval generated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of wallowing in sorrow, they bask in the sunshine; even the slower ballads act as a balm, serving up soothing melodies instead of sadness. Such relentless positivity isn't monochromatic in the hands of
-- which is good, as the record runs a very long 16 tracks. At that length, there's no avoiding a bit of sag. A whole lot of sweetness and light can be slightly stultifying, even when the slow tunes are executed with the precision of a pro. As good as those ballads are,
really springs to life when there's a slight spring in the group's step. The opener "All Summer" is candied perfection, a 1970s soft-rock melody given a spiffy reupholstering," "Heaven Had a Dance Floor" is a new wave spin on adult contemporary new wave, "Gold" is a bright rewrite of
Maren Morris
' "Rich," "Song Back" is a bright, pulsating number for a mature dance floor, while "Whiskey Colored Eyes" provides an ideal soundtrack for a sepia-toned sunset. These are the songs that give
its pulse and help keep things humming on this amiable affair. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine