There's an unspoken rule in rock music that the more musicians added to a band, the worse the group gets. Yet, there is always the band that breaks the rule. Nashville's Lambchop are currently riding with 13 members these days and everyone of them is essential to constructing the endless variety of sounds. They've even added the Nashville String Machine and a choir to their already overloaded crew. Their fifth album, Nixon, is the greatest actualization of their sound to date. At times, it recalls lush romantic movie music ("You Masculine You," "Nashville Parent"), at times perfect late-'60s, early-'70s Philly soul ("What Else Could It Be?") or dreamy countrypolitan ("The Distance from Her to There"); but no matter, it is always ensemble playing of great empathy and support. Singer-songwriter Kurt Wagner expresses clever joy and gentle sadness, but with punch-drunk horns and Westernly pedal steels sweeping like tumbleweeds, it's easier to just get caught in the sway and go with it. --Rob O'Connor