Now almost 20 years into his career, Lyle Lovett has established himself as a distinctive tunesmith with a wry performing style, but he has run aground on an almighty writer's block.
Since 1999, he has released a live album, an undistinguished soundtrack for Robert Altman's Dr T and the Women, and the Cowboy Man anthology. Now, lopsided Lyle has reconvened his Large Band to make this collection of songs plucked from an assortment of Hollywood movies.
The songs are often second-rate and the performances are dire, like his shockingly inept vocal on the title track or the moribund band arrangement on Gee Baby, Ain't I Good to You? As for Mack the Knife, it's painful proof that while there are certain things Lovett does very well, squaring up to all-time greats of 20th-century popular song is not among them. His promised album of new material can't arrive a moment too soon.
