The Incredible Machine [CD]

2008's Love On The Inside positioned Sugarland at the top of the "nu-Country" firmament, with a strong grip of crossover rock-pop signatures and Jennifer Nettles' awesome voice. This is a template that Jennifer Nettles and grizzled guitarist Kristian Bush could reproduce indefinitely, since American radio's demand for this sort of stuff is insatiable. However, the duo announced that the new album would be a step in a new direction, with a geeky "steampunk" concept behind it. Now "steampunk" is a sort of hybrid sci-fi with a Victorian setting (a bit like Wild Wild West). Hmmm. How's that gonna work then?

Well, the steampunk concept doesn't extend past the cover art and the title track itself, although if you're buying the Deluxe Edition the bonus DVD shows how they really went to town with costume and set design for the tour, which us poor Brits will probably never get to see. Really, this is just a bunch of songs, not any sort of concept-album. But there is a big change of direction nevertheless, and the steampunk aesthetic perhaps describes it as well as any: quirky, a bit old-fashioned, but slick, powerful and cool, in a geeky sort of way.

Let's be clear what's happened here. Sugarland have jettisoned the "country" elements in their country-rock formula, which I guess makes them a rock band now (albeit of a very odd sort). Whatever traces their music retained of pedal steel, mandolin and guitar pickin' has vanished, along with any hint of dirt on their boots. "The Incredible Machine" is a slick and well-oiled, well, machine I guess. Guitars crunch and keyboards pound, fists are clenched and punch their air, lighters are to be waved. The whole thing is boisterous, noisy and a whole heap of fun. There's one "typical" Sugarland song ("Little Miss"), but other than the presence of Jennifer Nettles' distinctive Georgia twang, this isn't a Country album. For some, that'll be all the reason needed to walk away. But if you're sticking around, there's a lot to like about this disk.

Album opener "All We Are" comes on like heavy cavalry, first church-y organs, then Nettles' commanding wail (sounding eerily like a muezzin calling us to prayer), then the grinding power chords of Bush's guitar. The song itself jumps all over the room, with a boozy, raucous call-and-response, and synths - all reminiscent of '80s Euro-rock like The Final Countdown. The '80s tone is recurrent throughout the album and is unmissable in "The Incredible Machine" itself, which builds from a pounding industrial beat, layered with U2-like keyboard figures, peaking with Nettles' echoing crying of "Calling...." bouncing across the speakers. And speaking of U2, "Tonight" sounds like an out-take from The Joshua Tree. Later, tracks like "Find The Beat Again" are clearly 80s-themed and Nettles' voice morphs into a wide-vowelled, snarling New Waver. "Every Girl Like Me", by contrast, is helium-throated pop princess stuff, like Alisha's Attic or Cyndi Lauper. The track that probably best exemplifies the album's mercurial tone is the album's trailing single, "Stuck Like Glue". This seems to start of in familiar territory, with a finger-snapping rhythm and acoustic guitar strumming, but Nettles' countrified phrasings warp into an outrageous reggae strut. I hear some country radio stations have edited the song to delete the offending dancehall break.

Jennifer Nettles is clearly having fun, bashing her amazing voice into new shapes and directions, and this sense of fun pervades the album and (for me, at any rate) redeems its moments of indulgence or excess. And of excess, there is a lot. "Stuck Like Glue" and the sunny beachfront pop of "Every Girl Like Me" are the only songs here that will fit into a car stereo or an iPod - everything else is stadium, nay, arena sized. Again, the DVD included with the Deluxe Edition will convert many waverers, showcasing these songs in their natural habitat. Check out the closing anthem, the hymnal "Shine A Light", and imagine ten thousand zippo lighters waving in the darkness. This is an album machine-tooled for touring with.

But it must be admitted, Country purists will be repelled and long-time fans may feel betrayed. The biggest problem with the shift away from Country is exposed in the lyrics. Country music's greatest virtue is in the lyrics: the direct first-person address, the narrative stance, the concrete emotional detail, the specificity. Rock, by contrast, is all slogans and sentimental soundbites. "All We Are" is rousing, but what exactly is it saying? Other song choruses exhort us to "Come On", "Get Ready", "Stand Up" or even (always a low point) "Hold On". Just set your brain to standby and sing along.

If this is all meant to court the mainstream, it's a bit difficult to see where Sugarland hope to position themselves. Jennifer Nettles' voice is, frankly, an "incredible machine", by turns sexy and feline, imperious and commanding or vulnerable and careworn - but it's way too stagey, too theatrical for conventional pop/rock sensibilities, for the sort of people who use the word "diva" to describe Madonna, Rihanna or Beyonce. The retro-rock sound the album embraces (crashing drums, gigantic riffs, soaring choruses) appeals to me, but how many people out there hunger for the golden age of Simple Minds, Travelling Wilburys and Tears For Fears? It wouldn't surprise me if, in future releases, Sugarland seek a rapprochement with Country and inject a little more Nashville back into their sound. In the meantime, if this is a folly, then I'll enjoy as a hugely entertaining one.

I'm giving this album 5 stars because I love the melodies, the adventurous vocals and the big-hearted grandeur of it all. Deduct a star is lyrics matter to you. Deduct another star if you're a proper Country fan. That ought to do it!

A new Sugarland album is always something I eagerly anticipate and this one was no exception.

On The Incredible Machine they've taken the distinctive Sugarland sound and added some new percussive and melodic rock influences (the likes of Kings Of Leon, Fall Out Boy and even Linkin Park at their most mellow spring to mind). This has moved Sugarland on past the 'country pop' label (which, in truth, they never really were) and into uncharted territory. The good news is that it has, by and large, worked really well and I think most Sugarland fans will appreciate the new direction and sound.

The opener 'All We Are' carries on in the same vein as 'Take Me As I Am' from 'Love On The Inside' - country rock with more of an anthemic feel than is usual for the genre. The second, title, track is probably the most KoL sounding song and is hugely infectious - will be a monster hit if they release it as a single. The quirky, bouncy, pop song 'Stuck Like Glue' - already a big hit single in the US with it's comedic video - integrates well with the rest of the album even though it sounds quite different from most other tracks. 'Tonight' is more like previous Sugarland anthemic rock ballads but with a more percussive feel than previously. 'Stand Up' is a duet with Jennifer joined by Kristian on vocals - starts out as a country pop tune but becomes more rocky. Following this is a short, largely acoustic, version of the title track with Kristian on vocals - this sounds quite a lot like Ricky Ross from Deacon Blue and is very atmospheric.

The second half of the album starts with a typical Sugarland country pop song 'Every Girl Like Me' - this one should appeal more to country fans than some of the other tracks and would make a good single. 'Little Miss' is a country song as well but with an added rhythmic quality. 'Find The Beat Again' is Jennifer sings Fall Out Boy - die hard country fans will probably hate it - I loved it, contender for best track on the album. 'Wide Open' is another up-tempo rocking number but with distinctive Sugarland elements to the sound. The final track 'Shine The Light' is a return to familiar territory - a soulful ballad showing off Jennifer's wonderful emotive voice - bears comparison with Trisha Yearwood at her best.

Album of the year so far for me and highly recommended unless you prefer your country to be of the Alan Jackson or George Strait variety.

Having seen Sugarland live, listened to their recent Live album and the signs on their last studio album it was inevitable that they were going to produce an album like the "Incredible Machine". I believe it is a more complete album than anything that they have done before - certainly richer in sound and great vocals (both individually and together) and also upbeat. I agree with other reviewers that they have lost some of their country sound but on most of the tracks that is not a problem (for me). Only two bugbears - (1) I could not download this in UK and had to shell out (over the odds) for the hard CD and (2) One or two backing chants in the songs could have been dropped! Agree with previous reviewer that the songs will be awesome in a live setting...