Lover's Game

by The War and Treaty

Overview

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

Product Details

Release Date:	03/10/2023
Label:	Mercury Nashville
UPC:	0602448520371
Rank:	35375

Tracks

1. Lover's Game
2. Blank Page
3. Ain't No Harmin' Me
4. Yesterday's Burn
5. That's How Love Is Made
6. The Best That I Have
7. Dumb Luck
8. Angel
9. Up Yonder
10. Have You a Heart

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The War and Treaty   Primary Artist
Paul Franklin   Guitar (Steel)
Paul Mabury   Drums
Dave Cobb   Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Brian Allen   Bass,Bass
Chris Powell   Drums,Percussion
JD Simo   Guitar (Electric)
Cremaine Booker   Cello
Philip Towns   Organ,Piano,Strings
Michael Trotter, Jr.   Vocals,Keyboards
Tanya Trotter   Vocals
Max Brown   Guitar
Kiran Gupta   Organ
Chris Elvidge   Percussion
Tom Davis   Bass

Technical Credits

Vance Powell   Mixing,Engineer,Recording
Pete Lyman   Mastering,Mastering Engineer
Dave Cobb   Composer,Producer
Dave Barnes   Composer
Daniel Bacigalupi   Assistant Mastering Engineer
Brandon Bell   Engineer
Karen Naff   Design,Art Direction
Beau Bedford   Composer
Andrew Brightman   Production Coordination,Assistant Mastering Engineer
Austin Hargrave   Photography
Mike Fahey   Mixing Assistant
Koehn Terry   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Sarah Marie Burke   A&R
Michael Trotter, Jr.   Composer,Producer
Kera Jackson   Art Producer
Tanya Trotter   Composer
Phillip Smith   Assistant Engineer