The beloved country trio, Lady Antebellum, is back for their fourth album Golden, which  was released on May 7 with twelve tracks and a running time of 43:52.  Although the album is filled with stellar vocals, the songwriting lacks in originality.  The band delivered only a few songs that even come close to the excellence seen in their past works. The happy vibe of the album is just too cliche and does not set them apart from other artists.

It became hard to decipher which song is which because each song is just too alike.  The flat beats did not help the songs’ uninteresting subject matter. Each song was nothing that we all haven’t heard before and none of the songs were significantly memorable. The band is known for the stories they tell in their songs, but this album seemed to be telling the same story twelve times.

Songs like “Can’t Stand the Rain,” “All For Love,” and “Generation Away” were some of the major songs that just should not have even been put on the album. These songs are written poorly; there are so many other deeper, more engaging songs out there that convey the same message.  Songs from their last album such as “Need You Now” and “Dancin’ Away With My Heart” were written so much better and told an interesting story.

Sad songs, such as “Goodbye Town” and “Long Teenage Goodbye,” lack the harmonies that the group does so well. Instead, the band decided to sing songs solo, which did not work to their advantage. Their voices are so much more interesting together and complement each other perfectly; this was a major mistake.

Despite the criticism, there are some songs that actually aren’t that bad. The song “Downtown,” is probably one of the most catchy songs that they have ever sung. This feel good song has a unique sound, which is refreshing to hear after hearing the rest of the album’s songs.  Another impressive song was “It Ain’t Pretty.” The song is about recovering from heartbreak, which may sound just as cliche as the rest of the songs, but it actually is a pleasant surprise.  The piano goes perfectly with the mood of the song and it gives the song more of a pop sound than country.

Overall, the album has way too many songs that are just not even worth listening to.  Save your money and buy only a few of the songs instead of the whole album.