For the record, I love Sugarland. Their first three albums feature some of the best-written and best-sung country music of the decade, but the Incredible Machine album was definitely a mistake. I respect the courage it must have taken for them to release such a total departure from their earlier sound, and I respect the spirit of experimentation in which the album was done, but it’s nonetheless an experiment that falls flat on its face, and this single is no exception. The song is an unholy combination of country music, steampunk, bubblegum pop and reggae. It’s weird, annoying, and off-putting, and you’d never even know it was a Sugarland song if you didn’t see their name on it.
Verdict: Not just bad, but bizarre.
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