Pop Music Notes

I have been in a slow drift away from country music recently, but on the recommendation of my friend Buck in Atlanta (who is currently writing for Project Q Atlanta), I checked out the new live disc from Sugarland. This duo, who actually began as a trio, started off as a breath of fresh air in country music, but got a bit stale for me on their last disc, Love on the Inside. Their live disc, Live on the Inside, proves that they can still be contemporary and relevant while remaining true to their country base. The record is primarily covers, but it’s what they choose that really makes it stand out. Two REM songs, the B-52s, Edie Brickell and New Bohemians, Beyonce (whose “Irreplaceable” they dueted on at the Grammys), and even Kings of Leon. It’s stunning how they can take a post-modern classic like Pearl Jam’s “Better Man” and reveal the country side of the track, but they do it over and over. If you don’t believe me, here is their version of REM’s “Nightswimming”, combined with their current single “Joey”.