A&M Records
Every rock star seems to eventually have an overwhelming desire to make a pop album revisiting their teenage years of free and crazy summers. In her 20 years as a musician, Sheryl Crow has finally reached this point, releasing her fifth album, C'mon, C'mon.
Crow claims that she strived to reproduce the '70s and '80s classic rock she grew up with, and much of C'mon, C'mon reaches this goal, along with an added pop edge. Full of catchy songs, the album also boasts a huge lineup of famous guest vocalists, including Liz Phair, Lenny Kravitz, Stevie Nicks and one of classic rock's kings, Don Henley.
Crow's duet with Henley, \It's So Easy,"" may have an actual classic rocker behind it, but it misses its mark. The song, in which Henley and Crow cry about the hardships of two people in an adulterous relationship, is more reminiscent of the Carpenters, with some strategically added guitars, and minus some wholesomeness in the subject matter.
Not that it is not catchy, though, as is ""Diamond Road,"" a motivational mantra full of strings and Stevie Nicks' thinning vocals. With a shallow, easy chorus of ""When your heart aches (on Diamond Road)/ It's gonna take a little time/ Yeah, it's gonna take a little time,"" ""Diamond Road"" is one of those songs that one will hum continuously but refuse to admit to liking.
The true deference to classic rock is ""You're an Original,"" with a modern rock guest vocalist, Lenny Kravitz. The song highlights the parallel influences Crow and Kravitz had, and the rough blend of both singers' voices makes for a true flavor of classic rock.
Among the pop and homage to classic rock are sprinkled some great songs that is authentic Sheryl Crow material. ""Soak Up the Sun,"" with Liz Phair as guest vocals, keeps with the singer-songwriter's traditional quirky lyrics, such as ""My friend the communist/ Holds meetings in his RV/ I can't afford his gas/ So I'm stuck here watching TV,"" while fulfilling the need for the perfect summer pop song.
Overall, C'mon, C'mon is a must-have for any diehard Sheryl Crow fan who knows her true musical style. For those unfamiliar with Crow's talents, first listen to her earlier albums, Tuesday Night Music Club, Sheryl Crow or The Globe Sessions to see what she can really do, and then lighten things up with C'mon, C'mon.
