Music review: Sheryl Crow – 鈥楤e Myself鈥�
I鈥檝e been a Sheryl Crow fan from the very start.
It was 鈥淭uesday Night Music Club鈥� that first drew me in with infectious tracks such as 鈥淎ll I Wanna Do,鈥� 鈥淟eaving Las Vegas,鈥� 鈥淐an鈥檛 Cry Anymore鈥� and 鈥淪trong Enough.鈥� Her self-titled release followed with the hits 鈥淎 Change Would Do You Good鈥� and 鈥淚f It Makes You Happy,鈥� while her third effort offered the rousing arrangements 鈥淢y Favorite Mistake鈥� and 鈥淭here Goes the Neighborhood.鈥�
After a quick dip in the contemporary country music pool with 2013鈥檚 鈥淔eels Like Home,鈥� Crow returns to her laid-back style from her first three albums with 鈥淏e Myself,鈥� and I couldn鈥檛 be happier.
鈥淎lone in the Dark鈥� opens the album with Crow reflecting on a broken relationship and wishing for solitude rather than companionship.
The punchy 鈥淗alfway There鈥� follows and shows why Crow is so good at delivering melodic splashes of pop and rock.
鈥淟ong Way Back鈥� outlines the day-to-day struggles of attempting to steer clear of temptation and battling back stronger than ever.
The title track is a clever self-examination of no longer yearning to be someone else and accepting one鈥檚 own identity.
鈥淚 want some attention,鈥� sings Crow on the breezy 鈥淩oller Skate鈥� as she craves a little more face-to-face time and less of the technology that takes center stage in today鈥檚 world. Although, I can鈥檛 understand why someone wouldn鈥檛 give the 55-year-old artist their full attention.
鈥淟ove Will Save the Day鈥� is a tender number that finds heartache ultimately erased after learning from yesterday鈥檚 mistakes and realizing that love conquers all.
鈥淗eartbeat Away鈥� is a smoldering rocker that packs plenty of punch and spotlights Crow at her toughest with its sharp bite and seething attitude.
Crow delivers a playful vibe on the closing tracks 鈥淕row Up鈥� and 鈥淲oo Woo鈥� that demonstrates she鈥檚 still having fun and wants the world to know.
Crow鈥檚 latest release is a rewarding listen that features the talented singer-songwriter comfortably being herself and nobody else.