This came out in 1999 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Why this disc took so long to gestate — these gigs were recorded four years ago, for cryin’ out loud — is anybody’s guess.
But in the end, who cares; you won’t quibble about the vintage of the grapes once you sampe the wine. And believe us, these 14 songs featuring Lyle Lovett backed by 17 assorted bandmembers, string and horn players and vocalists, are vintage Lyle. Kicking off with the goofball soul-funk of Penguins and the galloping country swing of That’s Right (You’re Not From Texas), Lovett offers up heartfelt tenderness (If I Had A Boat, North Dakota), jazz balladry (She’s No Lady) and bar room blues (Wild Women Don’t Get The Blues) — all as crisply and clearly recorded as any studio disc. The only difference is the well-deserved applause.
