Track Listing

1. Settlin'
2. County Line
3. Want To
4. Everyday America
5. Happy Ending
6. These Are The Days
7. One Blue Sky
8. April Showers
9. Mean Girls
10. Stay
11. Sugarland

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #663 in Music
• Released on: 2006-11-07
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .23 pounds

Album Description
Sugarland, with the help of producer Byron Gallimore (Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Lee Ann Womack), deliver the same ferocity on Enjoy The Ride. From the catchy coming-of-age kick-off single and chart-topping "Want To," to the reflective rocker "County Line" and the hopelessly optimistic "One Blue Sky," the combination of Jennifer's powerhouse country-soul voice with Kristian's passionate harmonies and deep-rooted musicality hits home, even if these two road veterans, each with a decade of club experience behind them, hardly ever see theirs. "If we can't go home, we do in our minds," Kristian explains of their songwriting process, which on this record, includes collaborations with country artist Bobby Pinson ("Want To"), Brad Paisley's co-writer Tim Owens ("Settlin'"), old pal Jeff Cohen ("April Showers") and Nashville local Lisa Carver ("One Blue Sky," "Everyday America," "County Line," "These Are The Days"). "There's a sense of nostalgia," Jennifer continues. "You pull from the time when you were figuring out who you are as a person. Like in 'Want To,' it's not only a story of falling in love, it's about that moment or a choice that could change your life. And with 'County Line,' it's about a place where you have your first kiss or get in a fight or talk about football and that time when you felt most free."

Amazon.com
One of country's fastest-rising acts, Sugarland arrive at their follow-up to 2004's triple-platinum Twice the Speed of Life in a considerably altered state. Chief songwriter and founding member Kristen Hall is gone, and producer Garth Fundis (Trisha Yearwood) has been usurped in favor of crossover hitmaker Byron Gallimore (Tim McGraw, Faith Hill). One could argue that these are the predictable results of success--by opening for such megastars as Kenny Chesney and Brooks & Dunn, the Atlanta-based trio was forced to retool its organic, singer-songwriter, folk-rock sound to fill arenas. And while their intricate vocal harmonies added a subtle creative dimension to their debut, Enjoy the Ride is made up mostly of songs ("County Line," "Mean Girls") constructed to showcase lead singer Jennifer Nettles's big voice in ways the previous album did not. While the repertoire was written by Nettles and surviving partner Kristian Bush in collaboration with proven songsmiths Bobby Pinson, Lisa Carver, and Tim Owens, much of the wistful intimacy of the first album is now diminished. Furthermore, it seems foolish to now call this act a duo, as Bush receives very little time in the spotlight apart from his vocal harmonies and performance on guitar and mandolin. None of this should matter on the charts, however, since the real focus was always on Nettles, whose twangy, force-field soprano more than carries the day. As before, the lyrics are upbeat and positive--if the message of the first album was of flight and searching, the theme here is of digging in. The winsome Nettles does a fine job of selling it all, positioning herself as the Ambassador of Optimism, the Deep South successor to Jo Dee Messina. --Alanna Nash

About the Artist
The story of Sugarland is one of those fairy-tale country music successes that just warms your heart. For one thing, it has the most idyllic of starts: an early morning round of coffee at an Atlanta Starbucks where Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush sat down and penned a list of their dreams on a napkin. 1.) Balance being in a band and having a family 2.) Get a Grammy nomination 3.) Sell a million records Check. Check. And double check. In the two years since the Top Five single "Baby Girl" put Sugarland on the map, they've accomplished more than anyone ever expected, least of all Jennifer and Kristian themselves. With almost three million copies sold of their Mercury Nashville debut, Twice The Speed Of Life, an American Music Award for "Favorite Breakthrough Artist," an Academy of Country Music Award for "New Duo/Group of the Year," a Grammy nomination for "Best New Artist," six CMA nods, arena tours from coast-to-coast and appearances on national TV shows like The Tonight Show and Good Morning America, the little band that could did, in a big way. "Once we hit the million mark, that was a head-scratcher for me," says Kristian. "Anything past that, I never imagined." Audiences clearly connected with Sugarland's honest-to-goodness approach to life, love and everything in between, a trademark not only of their songs, but of their entire existence. "Our purpose is to make emotions tangible," Jennifer reflects. "To celebrate the human condition with all its victories and heartaches and to have that moment when someone listens to your record or comes to a show and thinks, 'Man, we are the same.'" Adds Kristian: "It's like using your superhuman power to remind everyone that they're just human. Because it is a superhuman experience to walk on stage or to record yourself, but we're all about breaking down that wall and making a connection that resonates." To that end, the fact that Sugarland's debut has remained a fixture on the country charts for over 98 weeks certainly proves that the band has made its mark on Music Row, while tours opening for the likes of Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn and Brad Paisley had the same impact on country music fans nationwide. And thanks to an appearance on CMT's Crossroads with Bon Jovi (the series' highest rated episode to date) and the resulting #1 hit, "Who Says You Can't Go Home," the band has even crossed over into pop territory. All of this makes Sugarland's follow-up, Enjoy The Ride, one of the year's most anticipated releases. But like their last-minute booking to close the 2005 ACM's during which they filled in for an ailing George Strait, Kristian and Jennifer have no problem handling pressure. In fact, they thrive on it. "I love it," says Jennifer. "You can feel the engines revving. It's so exciting it makes my nostrils flare!" But beyond words, freedom is key to Sugarland's formula for success. After all, the band was signed on the merits of their demos which, with a little polish and a lot of faith, essentially became their first record. "In retrospect, I now understand how deeply our label and manager trusted us," says Kristian, a former alternative folk-rocker who grew up on college radio favorites like The Replacements and R.E.M. "There are few people who would put their time, effort or reputation on the line so that you can make art. It was more than just saying, 'This is a good song.' It was like, 'I believe in you. If you decide to climb Mt. Everest tomorrow, I'm with you.'" Jennifer concurs. "In the studio, I felt one hundred percent confident in letting Kristian guide the flow and it was really neat for me to sit back and watch him do his thing," she says. "He really stepped up to the plate artistically and I felt like I could explore how I'd developed vocally and even contribute to other parts. In the end, this album has the fun, sass and positivity that everyone expects from Sugarland with some pleasant surprises. And it all felt very organic, like a true musical evolution." "This is the twenty-ninth record I've made," adds Kristian, whose previous major label experience was as one-half of the critically-acclaimed duo Billy Pilgrim in the early 90s. "And probably the most rewarding yet." Indeed, both Kristian and Jennifer can take comfort in the rousing cheers the new songs have garnered while recently on tour with Brooks & Dunn. "The response has been so overwhelming," says Jennifer. "The crowds love the stuff that's fast and makes your butt shake, like 'Settlin' and 'County Line,' and I also see them connecting with 'Everyday in America.' I'm just chomping at the bit to get this record out there so people can hear it!"

Customer Reviews

Nettles is a Legend in the Making
In today's cookie-cutter music industry that is full of over-produced and studio-pastuerized songs, it is vital to have a unique tone and style that makes you immediately-identifiable on the radio. At the core, I am a Rock musician, yet I appreciate a variety of music styles when performed and recorded well. Sugarland entered the scene as a "hip" Country act and knocked us (the audience) into a full-on smile! While they have been admirable and impacting as a group, it truly IS Jennifer's voice that is a huge selling point as a member of the band. When she sings, you immediately KNOW that it is HER! Many musicians just DREAM of having a instantly-recognizeable style that people will love! Miss Nettles is THERE! Furthermore, just about ANYTHING Country that she sings is gonna sound great because of her deep Southern accent and her unique vibrato and determined energy. How many OTHER Country artists have had a hit single with Jon Bon Jovi? It is hard to NOT like Jennifer Nettles, unless you don't like Country music AT ALL!! 'Nuff said!!!

Another sweet spoonful!
Sugarland have been the underdog from the beginning. They were a band of songwriters formed in Atlanta that went to Nashville and got a record deal. That was a feat in itself. Then they came onto the scene and exploded like a pack of dynamite, selling three million copies of their debut album and watching their first four singles become monster top ten hits. That really got people's attention. People were captivated by Jennifer Nettles' powerhouse vocals and the band's bubbly, energetic sound and anthemic songs.

Although Jennifer and Kristian have experienced a bit of a setback with the departure of Kristin Hall earlier this year and had to throw this album together while on the road with Chesney and B&D this summer, neither has affected their sound. Jennifer's voice is as stunning as ever, and the productions are even better in the hands of the super talented Byron Gallimore. The new duo have the same knack for writing songs about the human condition that all people can relate to. "Everyday America" is a song about living in the moment and being proud of your small town roots. "Want To" is written from the perspective of a girl trying to enter into a relationship with a guy, but it's really about chasing your dreams and achieving your goals in life. "Happy Ending" talks about how we all look for the happy ending in whatever we do, from staying in the movie until the end to getting married or doing something that affects us all, like Dr. King and Neil Armstrong, who are referenced in the song. "Settlin'" is about finding your true love and not settling for anything less, which is what a lot of people are looking for. Another goody is "One Blue Sky", a song that was inspired by Hurricane Katrina about digging in your heels and staying in your hometown despite the conditions and praying for a clear day to clean up and go back to normal.

"How long til our dreams run dry?
Don't know but we're stayin'
On our knees we raise our eyes
Holdin' on and prayin' to find
One blue sky."

Sugarland shows that there ain't no sophomore jinx. With another collection of powerful songs and great melodies, it'll be sure to sweeten your collection. Enjoy this ride at twice the speed of life.

Great from start to finish!
I found that I liked Sugarland's sophmore CD even better than their debut CD.

I bought their first CD when I heard the single "Believe". I love that song. I enjoyed the CD, but "Baby Girl" and "Something More" were both so overplayed on the radio, I found that the only other song I liked on the CD was "Believe".

Anyway...due to that, I wasn't exactly holding my breath for their next CD...until I heard the single "Want To". I went out and bought the CD and I love it!

I always have a little more respect for artists that write their own music, I connect more to it I guess. I think they did a heck of a job with their writing...especially after losing a key member of the group.

This CD just about has it all...county, rock, acoustic. It's got love songs, feel good songs, small town songs and sad ballads.

Go out and get this one. It's worth it.