Lyle Lovett's latest is something of a hybrid: Natural Forces is half self-penned material, leaning toward upbeat levity (if not outright comedy), and half an album of dead-serious ballads from his favorite Texas songwriters. The cover tunes — written by the likes of Townes Van Zandt, David Ball, and Vince Bell — are lovely and haunting. At the same time, you may wish Lovett hadn't left all the lyrical heavy lifting to his Lone Star compatriots while he busied himself writing larks with hooks like ''I'm gonna choke my chicken all night long.'' B
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