Lonestar has always set the bar high, but Never Enders exceeds expectations. “It’s always a challenge,” says Richie as they gather one quiet morning at The Band Cave. “But when we’re writing, we always try to stay true to how we’ve done it in the past sonically and lyrically, while still looking to take what we do to new levels.” The exhilarating affirmations of the title track “Never Enders,” the haunting reflection on time lost in “My Own Hometown,” the emotional honesty of “Us,” their playful, grin- teasing riff on modern love in “I Want a Love” and their tribute to all the gorgeous lady bartenders they’ve known on “Boomerang” — each song on Never Enders mixes artful craft and the poetry of plain speech, each melody rings clear and all of it reminds us of how emotionally powerful country music can be.... Read more