Lighter in the Dark

by Sister Hazel

Overview

Taking a cue from their fellow Southern '90s frat-rocker Darius Rucker, Sister Hazel decide to ditch the rock singalongs for country singalongs on 2016's Lighter in the Dark. Rucker himself pops in to sing "Karaoke Song" -- the kind of tune designed to get its audience pumped up for the weekend -- but where Rucker shamelessly dove into the crass gloss of contemporary country, Sister Hazel hedge their bets, never quite ready to abandon their tempered folk-rock for the Florida Georgia Line. To be sure, they'll emulate FGL -- the chanted chorus on the good-time "We Got It All Tonight" isn't a million miles away from "Get Your Shine On" -- and they'll also glide along on the slow-burning soul groove so popular on 2015 country radio, plus they'll take a bit of twang on occasion, not to mention a feint at the big-beat of prime Mumford & Sons but, for the most part, Lighter in the Dark feels suited to the arena rock referenced in the title: it's music for the masses at a festival show. The ironic thing is, the two times Sister Hazel ease themselves into traditional country-rock -- on the burnished "Prettiest Girl at the Dance," which brings to mind prime Eagles, and the livelier "Run Highway Run" -- are clearly the best things here, which only makes this seem like a lost opportunity: if they defined country through the prism of the '70s and not the 2010s, they would've wound up with a better album. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	02/19/2016
Label:	Croakin' Poets Records
UPC:	0661869002781
Rank:	128196

Tracks

1. Fall off the Map
2. That Kind of Beautiful
3. Karaoke Song
4. Something to Believe In
5. Kiss Me Without Whiskey
6. Almost Broken
7. Take It With Me
8. We Got It All Tonight
9. Danger Is Real
10. Prettiest Girl at the Dance
11. Thoroughbred Heart
12. Run Highway Run
13. Back to Me
14. Ten Candle Days

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Sister Hazel   Primary Artist
Dave Lagrande   Piano,Organ
Andrew Copeland   Vocals,Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Ken Block   Vocals,Guitar (Acoustic)
Jett Beres   Guitar (Bass),Vocals (Background)
Ryan Newell   Banjo,Dobro,Mandolin,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background)
Mark Trojanowski   Drums
Darius Rucker   Vocals,Featured Artist
Kyle Aaron   Fiddle
Jillian Jacqueline   Vocals,Featured Artist
Barry Dean   Piano

Technical Credits

Steve Dean   Composer
Andrew Copeland   Composer,Group Member
Ken Block   Composer,Group Member
Billy Montana   Composer
Todd Wright   Engineer
Chip Matthews   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Jett Beres   Composer,Producer,Group Member
Ryan Newell   Mixing,Composer,Engineer,Producer,Group Member
Mark Trojanowski   Group Member
Ashley Gorley   Composer
Tim Nichols   Composer
Hillary Lindsey   Composer
Barry Dean   Composer
Rose Falcon   Composer
Gordie Sampson   Composer
Darius Rucker   Composer,Vocal Engineer
Rodney Clawson   Composer
Mike Costanzo   Engineer
Benny Quinn   Mastering
Billy Chapin   Vocal Engineer
Jake Burns   Engineer
Chris DeStefano   Composer
Tom Douglas   Composer
Luke Laird   Composer
Brian Hall   Photography
Charlie Judge   Orchestration,String Arrangements
Kyro Wolf   Design,Art Direction
Stan Lynch   Vocal Engineer