Comments on: Single Review: Little Big Town, "Tornado"

By: Westing

Westing — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 14:24:33 +0000

No melody to speak of, no quality lyrics, nothing to distinguish this from hundreds of other new age Country songs. Film clip only makes matters worse. Seems as though they have set themselves extraordinary low standards. Sadly, at this point, they haven’t been able to live up to them.

By: Dan

Dan — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 10:29:00 +0000

I like the way you broke down their lyrical content in this review. If you’re looking for some rockin’ lyrics with a true, serious background – you gotta hear Kristen Kelly’s “Ex-Old Man.” http://vevo.ly/M2FZ7h.

By: Vicki

Vicki — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 20:55:49 +0000

Boy you weren’t kidding about the lyrics..repetitious for sure. Also, the one thing I love about LBT is their pure singing. This has way too much production covering up their voices. Even Karen’s isn’t that pronounced. Carrie definitely has production on “Blown Away” but you can hear her voice nice and clear and her lyrics are much more interesting. I’m shocked actually at this song..I hope there is more to look forward to out of this album.

By: Jason

Jason — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 14:34:03 +0000

I agree with LeAnn; this is easily my favorite album from them. “Tornado” is the only song I skip, and I don’t even think it’s bad; it just doesn’t measure up to the rest of the album. But they really brought it with this release. “Night Owl” is actually my favorite, but “Sober” would be a killer single.

By: Tara Seetharam

Tara Seetharam — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 04:03:55 +0000

Like this. LOVE “Sober.”

By: Leeann Ward

Leeann Ward — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 00:51:38 +0000

Strangely, this is my favorite of the LBT albums. I hadn’t really been able to appreciate them outside of live performances until this album. I feel like their sound has more muscle or something now. They sound less “show choir-y” to me now.

By: Dan Milliken

Dan Milliken — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 20:51:36 +0000

As for future singles from the album, I’m pretty stumped. “Sober” does seem like the only obvious one. I dig “Leavin’ In Your Eyes” and “Can’t Go Back,” but they seem too unique for radio. And everything else pretty much feels like an album cut to me.

By: Dan Milliken

Dan Milliken — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 20:37:05 +0000

“I think the label went with another Karen Fairchild single for continuity from Pontoon as they try to get Little Big Town on a roll at radio.”

Not to mention that this song sounds the most like “Pontoon.” At first I thought it was the exact same beat – the tempo, at least, is practically identical.

B-/B is about right for me. I agree with the review. I mean, if you’re going to liken yourself to a natural disaster, best to go all the way:

By: Motown Mike

Motown Mike — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 20:24:17 +0000

I would like to see them release “Can’t Go Back” as a single. But I’m sure they won’t because the label knows it’s a song country radio won’t have any interest in.

By: wmcm

wmcm — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 18:01:01 +0000

I think the label went with another Karen Fairchild single for continuity from Pontoon as they try to get Little Big Town on a roll at radio. Little Big Town hasn’t had consecutive hits in a long time and the familiarity of Karen Fairchild as lead will probably help this song at radio. Once Little Big Town has consecutive hits again they can release songs with other people as leads. I expect Sober’ll be released after this and that’s a Kimberly Schlapman lead.

I agree with Kevin about these lyrics. I understand why the Blown Away comparison was mentioned and I think another song this song reminds me of and can’t stack up to is Gunpowder & Lead. Both songs do something this song doesn’t. Blown Away’s lyrics are much more expressive and bring this larger than life, act of God that gives a mythic tension to the song and Carrie’s performance and the production all line up with that. In Tornado, I don’t feel like the metaphor is ever explained or justified.

Gunpowder & Lead gives you that tension and lots of concrete details for why this girl is spitting mad and exactly what she’s going to do about it. You get the build up and you get the payoff. Lyrically Tornado’s in no man’s land between abstract/mythic and relatable.

Still, I really like the melody of Tornado and think it comes close to saving the lyrics. I like Karen on vocals, the harmonies are placed well, and the production is really cool. I like listening to LBT and this song’s definitely not one I skip when I listen to their album.