Some 27 years after
Lyle Lovett
signed with
Curb Records
he brings the association to an end with
Release Me
, a collection of covers and oddities to usher the singer out of his contract.
Lyle
makes no bones about his departure, not with the album's title or its cover of
Lovett
tied up in a lariat, but for as misshapen and wooly as it is,
actually doesn't play like a contractual obligation. Sure,
may have only two writing credits among these 14 songs and both of the cuts are holiday tunes, but the appeal of
is that it's decidedly messier than
has allowed himself to be on record. And it's a mess with purpose, too: the album touches upon nearly every style
has tried on since he signed with
Curb
in 1985, so it's a summation yet it lacks pretension. His good humor is evident throughout, surfacing not only on the randy good humor of "The Girl with the Holiday Smile," but infusing the rollicking, loose-limbed rhythms of the rest of the record. There are a handful of slower, contemplative moments, but
is an unquestioned celebration where the blues are the soundtrack for a good time and
Chuck Berry
's "Brown-Eyed Handsome Man" is slowed down to a knowing, soulful crawl. There's an ease to
that's utterly charming --
is relaxing into the songs and sounds he loves, and he hasn't sounded like so much fun in years. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine