Lady Antebellum: Dave Haywood (vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, keyboards); Charles Kelley , Hillary Scott (vocals).
Personnel: Paul Worley (acoustic guitar, electric guitar); Rob McNelley (electric guitar, slide guitar); Jason "Slim" Gambill (electric guitar); Bruce Bouton (steel guitar, dobro); Karen Winkelmann (violin, viola); Mary Kathryn Vanosdale, Pamela Sixfin, David Davidson , David Angell (violin); Larry Franklin (fiddle); Kristin Wilkinson, Jim Grosjean (viola); Sari Reist, John Catchings, Anthony LaMarchina (cello); Michael Rojas (accordion, piano, Wurlitzer organ, synthesizer); Chad Cromwell (drums, shaker, tambourine); Bruce Williams (drums); Eric Darken (percussion); Victoria Shaw (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: Clarke Schleicher.
Liner Note Authors: Paul Worley; Dave Haywood; Hillary Scott.
Photographers: Chris Hicky; Andrew Southam.
Nashville trio Lady Antebellum consists of vocalists Charles Kelly and Hillary Scott, with guitarist and harmony vocalist Dave Haywood rounding out the group. The outfit's self-titled debut rings with the feel of contemporary Nashville country, blending vintage harmonies and singer-songwriter emotion with dashes of classic rock and R&B, all with a smooth pop sheen that guarantees radio exposure. Lead-off single "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" is a highlight, as is the Scott showcase "Home Is Where the Heart Is." Feel-good music with a heart, LADY ANTEBELLUM should strike a chord with contemporary country fans.
Lady Antebellum is a two-guys-and-a-girl trio comprised of co-lead singers Charlie Kelley and Hillary Scott with multi-instrumentalist Dave Haywood. The group is also a songwriting collective, a Nashville rarity, co-writing most of the songs on its self-titled debut album. The three may have come up with material as good as what a publisher could have provided, although they never stray too far from formula, as reused titles like "Love Don't Live Here," "Long Gone," "I Run to You," "Home Is Where the Heart Is," and "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," suggest. Love is true or false, depending on the song, or it's forgotten in the honky tonk haze of "Lookin' for a Good Time." Kelley has a sturdy country baritone, but he sometimes sounds a bit too pleased with his own rich tone and comes off mannered. Scott, by contrast, seems to know that her voice can't match Kelley's for distinctiveness, so she works harder at coming up with striking phrasing and emotional force. The contrast gives their duets a chemistry that is the band's strongest element. Producers Victoria Shaw and Paul Worley give the record a pop/rock sound, with plenty of guitars and rhythmic punch, the better to goose a little more feeling from the singers. At this point, Lady Antebellum is a group that seems to know the basics of contemporary country but isn't ready to move beyond them or redefine them for its own ends. Still, this is a good beginning. ~ William Ruhlmann minimize