Disco de Lyle Lovett: “I Love Everybody”

You probably already have to be a fan to appreciate this. If you're new to Lyle Lovett, start somewhere else.

Then come back to this. It's a little weird in places. Some of the songs are just plain surreal, like Fat Babies, and Penguins. Others are witty, if odd, like Hello Grandma, and Creeps Like Me. Songs range from the sketch like, to the complete. They Don't Like Me, I've Got the Blues and Good-bye to Carolina are three that stand out.

What this is like, is a collection of short stories by a novellist who's normally a bit more serious and wants to have a bit of fun. So if you bear that in mind when you buy it, you'll not be disappointed.

The bonus is the simplicity and clarity of the recording; Lyle uses a minimum of instruments to create a very spare and focussed sound.

There are at least six fantastic songs on this CD, including perhaps his best, "Skinny Legs". The tracks are both poignant and funny: in other words, classic Lyle Lovett.

Standouts, in addition to "Skinny Legs", include "Penguins" (in which Lyle is essentially making fun of a female college friend who collected penguin-themed objects), "Record Lady", "Creeps Like Me", "Its Just the Morning", "Fat Babies", and "La To The Left". The arrangements have a spare, translucent quality that leave the listener's focus on the singer's voice, and the lyrics. And some of Lyle's best lyrics are to be found on the album, including my favorite couplet (from "Creeps Like Me") "you look surprised, you shouldn't be/the world is full of creeps like me". But the true standout, both lyrically and melodically, is "Skinny Legs", a very gentle opening track in which the singer mourns his own perceived shortcomings.

The collection is odd and offbeat. There is no feeling of a central theme, as there is with "Road to Ensenada". But Lyle compensates for this in the arrangement of each song: most are feature a small combo of instruments, generally limited to acoustic guitar, bass, and drums. Each song is brief, a little musical anecdote. This may be offputting to listeners used to crowd grabbing songs like "If I Had a Boat", but to me this collection is quintessentially Lyle Lovett.

All these songs here were written by Lyle; most of which were back in the 80's, but were never recorded until now. Man, I'm so glad he dusted off all these songs because they are great. No, they are probably not the best Lyle Lovett songs ever, but they are definitely worthy of your attention. I love "Skinny Legs" and know exactly how he feels. I also love the more quirky and humorous "Fat Babies", "Hello Grandma", and "Creeps Like Me". I also love the very-short, but tall on making a statement song "Fat Girl". Actually, I love every song on this release and this CD has actually become one of my favorite CDs of Lyle's to listen to. I can't even begin to count how many people I have recommended this CD to and they just absolutely love it and beg for more Lyle Lovett recommendations to add to their collection.

This one is my favorite of all Lyle Lovett CD's. Almost every song is a gem! The wit of "Record Lady," the grace of "I Think You Know What I Mean.," the sharpness of "Skinny Legs" or the absurdity and fun of "Skinny Legs"...it's all gold, as you will find out when you buy or borrow "I Love Everybody."

We need more original songwriters like Lyle. He may be a loner, but he carries some profound messages.

"I Love Everybody" was the first Lyle Lovett album I ever had the pleasure of buying. I'd heard a few of his songs, read about him, and seen him on Austin City Limits, but I'd never gotten around to getting a cd- until the stars converged, and "I Love Everybody" fell into my hands. After listening to it for a while, and enjoying it more than most music, I bought "Road to Ensenada." The rest, they say, is history- I own every album of his. I am not a "country" fan. My favorite artist before Lyle was Billy Joel. But the truth of it is, Lyle Lovett writes great, original, funny, sad, odd, wonderful songs. He's the best, and I Love Everybody, while maybe not his best album, is greater than most of the pop trash that litters the modern landscape. Lyrics are important! They should mean something! With him, they do. "I Love Everybody" is a exceptional piece of music, and I recommend it without reservations to anyone who likes to listen.