Lady Antebellum’s sixth studio album will ‘touch down’ on Tuesday, September 30, 2014. The eleven song album, titled ‘747,’ is preceded by the group’s 2013 album, ‘Golden,’ which produced two number one singles and a slew of good songs that serviced their Take Me Downtown tour which made a number of stops in New England this past year. However, Lady A is ready to elevate from that album with ‘747‘ and that showed with their first single off the record, ‘Bartender,’ reaching the top of the country airplay charts and sold more than 700,000 copies. If the rest of ‘747,’ is as good as ‘Bartender’ is, this may be Lady A’s biggest album. Us here at New England Country Music were given an advanced copy of ‘747.’ Check it out and let us know what you think!
1.) ‘Long Stretch of Love’ – Written by Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Josh Kear.
Impression: One thing that is constant with Lady A and their music is great instrument components to match their unrivaled melodies and this song sticks with that constant. ‘Long Stretch of Love’ may be their most rocking song of their career. The song dives into a relationship that is over but they keep going back to that person.
Favorite Lyric: You lift me up, you bring me down, you make me feel alive, you send my heart in overdrive, every time you kill the lights…
2.) ‘Bartender’ – Written by Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Rodney Clawson.
Impression: There’s not too much to say about ‘Bartender.’ It’s been a hit since mid-May when the song was released and shortly after being released, it hit the top spot on the US Country Airplay chart. It’s a great breakup song about a woman who just got out of a relationship and needs a good night out on the town with her girls.
Favorite Lyric: What I’m really needing now, s a double shot of Crown, Chase that disco ball around…
3.) ‘Lie With Me’ – Written by Marc Beeson and Abe Stoklasa.
Impression: It’s a beautiful breakup song and wanting that person to just lie with you so you can feel that person just one more time. We get a lot of breakup songs in country but this is my favorite one I have heard in years. Hillary’s vocals are incredible in this track.
Favorite lyric: Make me, feel like it ain’t over, go a little slower, one last time…
4.) ‘Freestyle’ – Written by Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Shane McAnally.
Impression: ‘Freestyle’ has some twang with the trio doing a little country rap in the beginning. This song about being spontaneous should be a single off the record and is one of my favorite tracks on the album. It’s upbeat, it’s fun, it will be a hit.
Favorite lyric: Hula girl, grass skirt, shaking on the dashboard, where we going, we don’t need no passport…
5.) ‘Down South’ – Written by Stephanie Chapman, Christian Rada, and Dave Thomson.
Impression: It’s a song about the good of being down south and it features some great harmonies from Lady A. Dave, who is mostly known for his incredible skills with different instruments, will really be able to showcase his talents with this song. In the song, the subject goes back down south to regroup and to find what they lost.
Favorite Lyric: Got rocks in my shoes, holes in my sole, I’m covered in dirt from head to toe, from walking along this winding road that brought me back to here…
6.) ‘One Great Mystery’ – Written by Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Josh Kear.
Impression: There’s so many ‘mysteries’ in the world: is there extra terrestrial life? What’s the meaning to life? And more! But in this song, the subject just wants to know one thing- why did their significant other fall for them? It’s a powerful love song that features Lady A’s incredible vocals and will allow those great moments in their live concerts.
Favorite Lyric: I’ll close my eyes and drift off into the blue. If I go first, I will wait for you…
7.) ‘Sounded Good At The Time’ – Written by Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, Brad Warren, and Brett Warren.
Impression: I love the sound of this song! It’s peppy and upbeat. The song describes how things don’t always happen as you thought were going to happen but it all works out in the end. You just have to have a positive attitude!
Favorite Lyric: Didn’t have a plan and we ran out of money. Car broke down but it’s still kinda funny ‘cuz we hitched a ride with some hippie guy and barely made it to the show…
8.) ‘She Is’ – Written by Ben Rector and Jeff Pardo.
Impression: It’s a great up tempo song that describes a woman and all the good qualities she has and the person ‘she is’ and wanting that woman. It’s a fun love song, especially after some somber tracks on the album. There even’s a little New England reference in the song right around the 3:01 mark where Charles sings, “she hails from Boston…”
Favorite Lyric: She’s got the world at her fingertips, she makes beauty look effortless…
9.) ‘Damn You Seventeen’ – Written by Rodney Clawson, Luke Laird, and Shane McAnally
Impression: This is an incredible, emotional and intimate song about someone reminiscing about a love they had when they were seventeen. From the prom, to Vintage t-shirts, and maybe even a little intimate moment after a concert. They can’t get rid of those memories and in a way they are having trouble moving on from those memories.
Favorite Lyric: My heart is still stuck at a stoplight, with you sitting there next to me, and the red light won’t turn green, no it won’t turn green. Damn you seventeen…
10.) ‘747’ – Written by Gordie Sampson, Caitlyn Smith, and Cary Barlowe
Impression: The song to which the album bears the same name is an emotional ballad that portrays someone who is flying home to try to save their relationship but the airplane just isn’t going fast enough.
Favorite Lyric: Every minute is wasted time, she gets a little bit closer to saying goodbye…
11.) ‘Just A Girl’ – Written by Dave Haywood, Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott, and Shane McAnally.
Impression: I love the strings that are highlighted in the song, especially at the beginning. The song features a girl who doesn’t want to be the guy’s late night call anymore, she doesn’t want to just be a girl. She wants to be more than that as she was brought up to be more. It’s a good message for the young girls out there. It’s definitely a song full of sass.
Favorite Lyric: Boy you must’ve come up short tonight, because I’m always your consolation prize…
My take: ‘747‘ is a very good album that goes against what they have done with their albums in the past. ‘747‘ is not as playful as past album and it definitely has more emotions than past album. But I’m sure the seven-time Grammy Award winning group know what they are doing. It is different, but not in a bad way whatsoever. The album features some incredible harmonies between the trio which really demonstrate the range and the talent that Lady Antebellum has. ‘747′ will have no problem selling and it will bring some new life to their future tour plans which the group is still deciding on. What I love even more is that the trio co-wrote six of the eleven songs together which only demonstrates their dedication to their craft and their desire to have their personalities in their music.