Lover's Game

For their third studio album, the husband-and-wife duo The War and Treaty changed up their formula: Rather than writing separately and sharing ideas with one another later in the process, Michael and Tanya Trotter co-wrote the LP together, treating the creation of *Lover’s Game* as a product not just of their individual talents but of their deep love for each other. Following 2020’s acclaimed *Hearts Town*, *Lover’s Game* is a tender portrait of long-term love, with a particular emphasis on maintaining a healthy marriage amid the myriad challenges of everyday life. Produced by Dave Cobb (Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile), *Lover’s Game* doesn’t change things up too much sonically, as the warmhearted blend of soul, R&B, country, and blues the duo has concocted over the years needs no adjustment. The title track is swaggering country rock à la *Nutbush City Limits*-era Ike & Tina, with some swampy, Allman-esque guitar for good measure. “That’s How Love Is Made,” with its piano-forward production and relatable lyrics, sounds like a standard. And “Ain’t No Harmin’ Me” is a soulful celebration of hard-earned resilience, with a particularly fiery vocal from Tanya.