‘Own the Night’ | Lady Antebellum

For fans of

Taylor Swift, Sugarland

Singles to download

‘Just a Kiss,’ ‘Friday Night,’ ‘Heart of the World’

“Own the Night,” the third album from country trio Lady Antebellum, is a solid but forgettable effort. No song comes close to the radio ubiquity that was “Need You Now,” which is good news for those of us who began to lose our sanity every time we heard it and especially when it won every single award at the Grammys. The entire album seems set at the same mid-tempo pace, and it consists of a weird blend of duets that run the whole emotional gamut. Much like Taylor Swift’s music, this is country-lite pop—each song seems to follow the exact same pattern as the last, becoming near-formulaic. “Friday Night” is a little faster and harder than the rest of them, with a fun Rick Springfield-like electric guitar riff, but as far as Friday nights go, Katy Perry has the spirit down better. The lead single, “Just a Kiss,” should really be called “Need You Now: the Prequel,” as I swear it is the same song, just about falling in love rather than drunk-dialing an ex. Lady Antebellum has shown flashes of promise to become a modern country Fleetwood Mac, but “Own the Night” is a decidedly average album.