Mario Tarradell

The instant success of country-pop trio Lady Antebellum serves as a textbook-classic lesson in Mass Marketing 101. Take two men and one woman, make sure they're photogenic, have them harmonize just enough, gather simple, radio-ready tunes and then promote them incessantly.

Presto! Fast fame!

Charles Kelley, Hillary Scott and Dave Haywood, better known as Lady Antebellum, performed Friday night as this year's first headliners on the Chevrolet Main Stage at the State Fair of Texas in Fair Park.

KYE R. LEE/DMN

Country-pop trio Lady Antebellum, with Hillary Scott (from left), Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood, performed Friday night at the State Fair.

View larger More photos Photo store

Backed by a three-piece band, the group offered all 11 tracks on its self-titled debut CD and a few covers, including the most tepid rendition of AC/DC's "You Shook Me All Night Long" ever attempted. They also did a country-popped up take on U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" that would make Bono cringe.

Although, really, their original material is no better. With few exceptions (OK...two), the cuts on that inaugural disc are generic and passionless. Sometimes you can hear this band trying to capture the harmonic pizzazz of Little Big Town, a most superior entity that perfected the male-female vocal blend.

The biggest problem with Lady Antebellum is the songs never take off. Show openers "Slow Down Sister" and "Love's Lookin' Good On You" were interchangeable. Ditto for the two radio hits, "Love Don't Live Here" and "Lookin' For a Good Time." There's no zing to them, no depth.

The only worthy numbers, "Long Gone" and "I Run to You," made the best of melody and hook and Ms. Scott's nice if serviceable pipes. But then she took away her shine during "Can't Take My Eyes Off You," an awful, tuneless ballad.

Maybe maturity will come with time, more recording, more writing and more touring. Or maybe the members of Lady Antebellum should take a crash course in Little Big Town.