| Mr. Sun | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 16, 2022 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 57:36 | |||
| Label | Capitol Nashville | |||
| Producer | Little Big Town | |||
| Little Big Town chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Mr. Sun | ||||
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Mr. Sun is the tenth studio album by American country music group Little Big Town. It was released on September 16, 2022, through Capitol Nashville and is a follow-up to their 2020 release Nightfall . It was self-produced by the band and features the single "Hell Yeah".
The band announced the album in July 2022. [1] The creation of the album is nearly perfectly divided with seven of the sixteen songs written and recorded in sessions for the previous album, Nightfall, the rest of which from sessions taking place during the COVID-19 pandemic. [2] During the pandemic, it was the first time in twenty years that the band did not tour. It was during this time that they found the inspiration to write for this album. [3]
Jimi Westbrook wrote "Rich Man," which he describes as the "most heartfelt, personal, and special" song he's ever written. [4] He began writing the song around the year 2009, and finished it in late 2021.
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [5] |
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of All Music wrote that the 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. I stead of wallowing in sorrow, they bask in the sunshine; even the slower ballads act as a balm, serving up smoothing melodies instead of sadness." [5]
Catherine Walthall of American Songwriter praised the album saying, "Mr. Sun is a bright, upbeat album heavily inspired by the groovy music from the '70s. It's an album perfectly suited for yacht rock hang-outs or rollerblading meet-ups. Inside the record, notes reminiscent of the Bee Gees, Fleetwood Mac, and the Eagles ring out, but they're all tailored to Little Big Town's country expertise. Songs like "Gold" and "Heaven Had A Dance Floor" possess a particularly disco-definite sound." [6]
Nicole Piering for Country Swag calls "Little Big Town at its absolute best" with Mr. Sun. [2]
Zackary Kephart of The Musical Divide had mixed reviews for the album. He felt that the album was an "oddly disjointed attempt at both expanding the more mature sonic and lyrical foundation they set on their previous albums and throwing a few slick, ultra-polished cuts in along the way for good measure." Though he did say that "there's also a richness present in a lot of the organic warmth that can still feel unique to this band's core, especially when it can match writing that's only grown more mature and nuanced with each passing album." [7]
On September 14, 2022, Little Big Town appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon , and performed "Hell Yeah" and "Rich Man". [8] They also appeared on The Today Show on September 16, 2022. [9]
"Hell Yeah", the lead single was released on April 11, 2022. [10]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "All Summer" |
| Karen Fairchild | 2:51 |
| 2. | "Better Love" |
| Fairchild | 3:02 |
| 3. | "Hell Yeah*" |
| Phillip Sweet | 2:55 |
| 4. | "Mr. Sun" |
| Jimi Westbrook | 4:22 |
| 5. | "Three Whiskeys and the Truth" |
| Fairchild | 3:53 |
| 6. | "One More Song*" |
|
| 3:38 |
| 7. | "Heaven Had a Dance Floor*" |
| Kimberly Schlapman | 3:26 |
| 8. | "Gold*" |
| Fairchild | 3:13 |
| 9. | "Rich Man" | Westbrook | Westbrook | 3:30 |
| 10. | "God Fearing Gypsies" |
| Westbrook | 3:56 |
| 11. | "Different Without You*" |
| Sweet | 3:11 |
| 12. | "Whiskey Colored Eyes*" |
| Westbrook | 4:21 |
| 13. | "Song Back" |
| Fairchild | 3:08 |
| 14. | "Something Strong" |
| Fairchild | 3:34 |
| 15. | "Last Day on Earth" |
|
| 3:57 |
| 16. | "Friends of Mine*" |
| Sweet | 4:32 |
| Total length: | 57:36 | |||
Little Big Town
Additional musicians
Technical
Design
| Chart (2022) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Digital Albums (ARIA) [11] | 24 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [12] | 57 |
| UK Country Albums (OCC) [13] | 5 |
| US Billboard 200 [14] | 56 |
| US Top Country Albums (Billboard) [15] | 10 |
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