It is hard to have a song let alone an album follow up to the originality of previous hits “Girl Crush” and “Better Man”, but Little Big Town does just that, yet falls short of sounding fresh.

The band comprised of Karen Fairchild, Kimberly Schlapman, Phillip Sweet and Jimi Westbrook dives deep into some self-reflection and questioning with their ninth studio album “Nightfall.” Formed in 1998, the vocalists’ contemporary country sound is evident once again as their music does not carry the heavy drum or guitar sound that modern country music typically does. Little Big Town’s slow and soft tone is reminiscent of Lady Antebellum and Sugarland.

Calming with an almost folkish feel, the album is nothing special, though like every other Little Big Town album. The only difference in this album is the sudden themes of deeper thinking and realizations within the songs.

This is very evident in “The Daughters” and “Sugar Coat” both of which are about the expectations of women. Lead vocalist Fairchild’s powerful voice calls attention to societal problems and the way women are depicted to be in lyrics such as “and pose like a trophy on a shelf, dream for everyone, but not yourself.”

In “Sugar Coat” especially, the lyrics stand out. “Passed down from my mom,

she wore it so well” as well as “she’d rest it on my shoulders, say it’s colder out there than you think” describe the figurative “sugar coat” that women are forced to wear and live with. This song speaks volumes in today’s society with the battle of equality being a hot discussion.

For a group that is considered “country” there was only one song that truly stood out as such. “Over Drinking” is the typical “getting over a relationship” song that one could hear at a bar. The song has a slow tempo yet is optimistic and credits drinking as the best way to cope with a breakup. The cleverness of the lyrics such as “No more flipping through pictures in the corner on my phone, no more dialing your number in the dark all alone,” help one recognize how exhausting the relationship was yet shines a light on the self for once.

The song for which the album is named after, “Nightfall” is the most upbeat song featured on the album. The sweet harmonies of Fairchild, Schlapman, Sweet and Westbrook are a delight to hear, and really make this specific song stand out from the rest on the album since most of the album is slow and softly spoken.

The overall tone of “Nightfall” as a whole is the soft and simple melodies that can be found on any Little Big Town album. “Bluebird” is a nice metaphorical touch to the record, providing insight on an appreciation for a loved one. The opening guitar riff instantly makes one feel warm and invited to enjoy the song.

Making discoveries of love was also a big theme of the album. The soothing sounds of “Next to You” is about putting all problems within a relationship behind when with a significant other. The idea that their presence can change how they feel about each other is the centric theme of the album’s opening track.

“Nightfall” also touches on the subject of love that has failed within the song “Trouble with Forever.” The final song on the album takes a unique approach with it being about a marriage that has ended after 50 years. The slow and emotional ballad is the perfect ending to show the humanity in everyone and how difficult it is to have a “perfect” life.

The mature themes in “Nightfall” are a rarity and are so hard to execute, yet Little Big Town does it once more. It is a mostly slowed down and soft album and could have had a song or two that was a little more upbeat and make the album feel more complete than dragged on. Though an overall good album, for 22 years the band has had the same sound, so it would be nice for the group to try to branch out a little bit and try something new.