"Need You Now," Lady Antebellum

This is very accomplished pop music — sometimes a little overblown, but consistent, upbeat and singalong-ready.

Aside from the semi-twang in the vocals and the occasional iddle, Lady Antebellum is about as country as Shania Twain and the Eagles ever were. This is a pop band — a clever one with wide appeal. The title track, “Need You Now,” was released last summer and went to No. 1 on the country charts two months before this CD was even released. Who needs to wait for a new album to come out to stay in the spotlight?

Lady Antebellum is a force — the trio bumped Rascal Flatts from its six-year run as best vocal group at last year’s CMAs and is poised to cross over big-time. Theirs is a cool, if-you-are-good-you-can-actuallymake-it-in-Nashville story. The trio was only signed in July 2007 — for singer Charles Kelley, just a year removed from working construction.

How’s the music? This is very accomplished pop music — sometimes a little overblown, but consistent, upbeat and singalong-ready. Solid.

DOWNLOAD: “Perfect Day”

Dethklok, DragonForce, Nekrogoblikon @ The Podium

Sun., April 28, 7 p.m.
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Ted S. McGregor Jr.

Ted S. McGregor, Jr. grew up in Spokane and attended Gonzaga Prep high school and the University of the Washington. While studying for his Master's in journalism at the University of Missouri, he completed a professional project on starting a weekly newspaper in Spokane. In 1993, he turned that project into reality...