Anyone who saw Sugarland perform last fall knows the band gets around stylistically. In addition to their ream of mainstream country hits and the fact that Jennifer Nettles has recorded with Bon Jovi, they turned a Beyonce song into a bluegrass romp. Very clever.

Now comes word that their next album, due in September, is just as much of a stylistic hodgepodge as their live show.

"This record goes as far in one direction as Juice Newton or Linda Ronstadt, and in another direction it bumps up against Gasoline Alley-era Rod Stewart," Kristian Bush told the North Carolina newspaper The Wilmington Star-News. "In another way it scrapes across, like Green-era R.E.M. and ends up somewhere on some Coldplay record that hasn't come out yet. It's pretty diverse, and it's beautiful. It's a beautiful record, and it's fun."

The first single is expected in May, but Jennifer and Kristian aren't holding back. They've already started showcasing some of the new material in their shows, in great part because they're excited about what they've done.

"I would say that we've definitely crested into a brave new world," Kristian said. "I'm in awe of this record. I listened to it this morning while I was running, and I'm just shocked. I keep listening to it going, 'I can't believe it's us.'"