Love and Theft scored a Top 10 hit, the only new artist of 2009 to do so (so far),  with first single “Runaway” off of their debut album World Wide Open and now the trio has moved on to their follow-up single in “Dancing In Circles.”  Written by band member Stephen Barker Liles with producer Robert Ellis Orrall and songwriter Roger Springer, the song fits in well for both the softer fall/winter vibe at country radio while also featuring a message that is universal and questions why humanity does the things that we do to each other.  As good as “Runaway” was to my ears, “Dancing In Circles,” with beautiful mandolin, fiddle and banjo fills accenting the strong three-part harmony that Barker Liles shares with Eric Gunderson and Brian Bandas, Love and Theft have themselves a song that very well could be their first chart-topper. 

While the melody and lyric do have a CCM vibe at times, it’s too hard to not enjoy a song like this, particularly in the holiday season where love is supposed to lead the way.   Also, who cannot agree with the message delivered here, which is that we should find a way to overcome our differences and accept somebody for who they are and not hate somebody simply because they are different than you.