Formidable soloists who can light up a torch ballad with a thousand BTUs when singing in tandem,
Tanya Blount-Trotter and
Michael Trotter, Jr. possess voices that seemingly rise to any occasion. The Michigan-based couple commanded multiple Americana, soul, and country subgenres on their acclaimed 2020 sophomore LP,
Hearts Town. They apply that same formula to the aptly named
Lover's Game. Built around an overarching theme of "love and the intention of love,"
the War and Treaty's debut outing for
Universal Music Group Nashville delivers a sensual and soulful set of songs that pair timeless pop and country architecture with skilled, contemporary production from
Dave Cobb. The mule-kicking title cut, a rowdy twang-fest that serves up plenty of bawdy, barroom swagger, sets the stage, but it's a relative sonic outlier compared to what follows. The duo's default speed is midtempo, and they excel at squeezing every last drop from the many last-call weepers ("Yesterday's Burn") and country-gospel affirmations ("Have You a Heart") that populate
Lover's Game. Students of both
George Jones and
Katy Perry, the Trotters branch out on the slow-burning "Best That I Have," which flirts with '70s soft rock, while the towering, stadium-ready ballad "Dumb Luck" sounds like something
Aerosmith would've taken to number one in the late '90s. For all its pomp and circumstance -- this is a punchy and meticulously crafted record with undeniable commercial aspirations --
Lover's Game feels remarkably grounded. The songs can seem awfully familiar, but there's no denying their potency, which has everything to do with the Trotters' innate talent and charisma. ~ James Christopher Monger
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