Sheryl Crow is set to release her sixth studio album, DETOURS. The album marks the return of producer Bill Bottrell, who previously worked with Crow on her breakthrough debut album Tuesday Night Music Club, which earned the singer three Grammy Awards, and sold more than ten million copies worldwide. "This is the most honest record I've ever made. It's about being forced to wake up," says Crow.
Sheryl Crow Photos
More from Sheryl Crow
Wildflower Tour: Live from New York
Wildflower
Wildflower (Deluxe)
Globe Sessions
The Very Best of Sheryl Crow - The Videos
C'mon America 2003
The Very Best of Sheryl Crow
C'mon, C'mon
Live from Central Park
The Globe Sessions (Enhanced)
Sheryl Crow
Tuesday Night Music Club
Thematically, Detours may not seem like much of a detour to Sheryl Crow fans. Her politics pour out of these songs the way you might expect them to if you caught wind of her epic cross-country bus trip, with the activist Laurie David, to promote environmental awareness months prior to this release. From the quiet, faraway-sounding opener "God Bless This Mess"--a novel in a song--to the catchy but thought-provoking "Gasoline," it's clear that Crow has more on her mind these days than soaking up the sun or having a little fun, à la the Tuesday Night Music Club era. Yet there's not a groan-worthy song on this standout rock/pop/folk/blues album. If the themes are heavy (in addition to the political songs, there's an almost painfully tender lullaby for her son Wyatt and one, "Make It Go Away [Radiation Song]," that touches on her breast-cancer experience), the mood is cathartic, determined, hopeful at times and sad at others. "Now That You're Gone" grabs at clarity through the clouds of a devastating love affair and gets it, and "Peace Be Upon Us" picks apart pettiness and arrives at a wide-minded beauty. George Harrison seems present in some of these songs, especially the more personal ones ("Drunk with the Thought of You," "Love Is All There Is"). And that may be the highest compliment that Sheryl Crow, who seems to admire his gentle soul and shares his big heart, could ask for. --Tammy La Gorce
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 3.5 / 5.0
Some heart, no brain:
I was excited about this album since it reunites Sheryl Crow with her "Tuesday Night Music Club" producer. It has that same sound but not as much heart. Compared to her other albums, its got some spunk for sound but no brains behind the rhymes. The lyrics come off sounding like something from an 8th grade poetry notebook. She makes lyrical points in anticipation of being criticized but does little to flesh out her agenda in the song writing. After multiple listens (the music is catchy), the lyrics keep... more info
her best:
I am a big fan of sheryl crow, and I would say this is her best cd yet. The lyrics are intelligent, insightful, and bold--as is the music. I can listen to this cd over and over again without tiring of it. Highly recommended.
One Strange Detour:
I'm not that big of a fan of Sheryl Crow like some people, but her last album (Wildflower) really made an impression on me, so I was looking forward to hearing her next offering. I'm now very glad that it was of no cost to me to listen. The way I see it, music is supposed to catch the ear first, the sensibilites later. Crow has given her fans plenty of listening pleasure in the past but with "Detours" my expectations were figuratively deafened from the sheer number of production misfires contained... more info
Detours:
Detours being Sherry Crow's latest release is a good release that is a bit too political. As anyone whom has read my reviews knows, I have a big aversion for political music. Political music often becomes politics light. Meaning that it dumbs down politics to one liners. Sometimes I get the felling that Crow is trying to hard. Like on the song Peace be Upon Us. The lyrics sound pressed and forced. The social commentary also falls flat many times. Like on the track Gasoline. The book-let is really nice. Crow... more info
