Sheryl Crow-Detours

Record Label: A&M
Year: 2008
Track Listing:
01. God Bless The Mess
02. Shine Over Babylon
03. Love Is Free
04. Peace be Upon Us
05. Gasoline
06. Out Of Our Heads
07. Detours
08. Now That You’re Gone
09. Drunk With The Thought of You
10. Diamond Ring
11. Motivation
12. Make It Go Away (The Radiation Song)
13. Love Is All There Is
14. Lullaby For Wyatt

Detours is an aptly titled for Sheryl Crow’s latest album. In between her broken engagement to Lance Armstrong, her battle with breast cancer, and the adoption of her son Wyatt,
she has managed to release one of her strongest albums to date.

Teaming up with one of her earlier collaborators, songwriter Bill Bottrell, Crow has produced an album that is a mixture of pop, rock, folk and roots. Don’t be too surprised to find political tunes on this album, as the album kicks off with ‘God Bless The Mess’, which gives Crow an isolated, echoed sound.
They’re closely followed by ‘Shine over Babylon’; the worldly tune ‘Peace Be upon Us’ that features Arabic singing; and the rock-themed ‘Gasoline’. Naturally, as one can expect from Crow, they’re all anti-war.

After hearing those track alone, one knows that Crow has soared past songs about soaking up the sun and having fun, and settled for something so much better.
For those who don’t want to hear anti-war protests, take a deep breath as the album alters from the preaches of anti-global warming and anti-war to a more personal level.

Detours sees Crow touch on aspects of her personal life, and the demons she has battled recently. ‘Make it go away’ touches on her own personal experience with breast cancer and she produces a touching tribute to her son on ‘Lullaby for Wyatt’.

She also touches on her personal heartbreak with ‘Detours’ and ‘Now you’re gone’ which is a strong redemption-from-love song. ‘Love is there’, which sees Crow deal with the loss of love in a more mature manner.

This is a stellar effort for Crow who, after 15 odd years in the music industry, has made her mark as a singer-songwriter.

Tracks worthy of listening: ‘Gasoline’, ‘Out Of Our Heads’, ‘Peace Be Upon Us’ ‘Now That You’re Gone’.

I give this: HHHH

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Mandy More-Wild Hope

Year: 2007
Record Label: Firm Music
Track Listing:
01. Extraordinary
02. All Good Things
03. Slummin In Paradise
04. Most Of Me
05. Few Days Down
06. Can’t You Just Adore Her?
07. Looking Forward
08. Wild Hope
09. Nothing That You Are
10. Latest Mistake
11. Ladies’ Choice
12. Gardenia

Mandy Moore has come along way since her teen-pop days, where the best that she could muster was the hit single “Candy”.

In fact, apart from her 2003 covers album, Coverage she’d probably prefer us to forget she recorded the rest.However, 2007 was an incredibly good year for Moore. In her own right she has become a well-respected Hollywood actress, and has finally released an album that cements her place as a singer-songwriter.

Wild Hope brings a seasoned maturity to Moore’s music, and while her voice is not distinctive, there is something charming about Mandy Moore all the same.

Written by Moore with the help of other great musicians such as Rachael Yamagata, Lori McKenna, and The Weepies, the album has songs that will help her find a place among the likes of other adult-contemporary artists such as Sarah McLachlan, and Anna Nalick.

One of the things I like about this album is that while other teen singers such as Christina Aguilera, Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears are still trying to move teens out onto the dance floor with their music, Moore isn’t even attempting to do so. Instead she has taken a leaf from the likes of Sheryl Crow, and remained on the outer, producing songs that have far more quality and substance and less bump and grind.

Wild Hope is an album that bounces between upbeat indie-inspired tracks and folk inspired songs, resulting in an honest album. Kicking off with ‘Extraordinary’, which became her first single and shows a different Mandy Moore, driven by acoustics to match her whispery vocals.‘All Good Things’ and ‘Slummin in Paradise’ musically are the same as ‘Extraordinary’ before Moore switches to a more upbeat approach with ‘Most of Me’, which shows Moore’s vocals at their strongest.

Another favorite is the alt-rocker ‘Latest Mistake’ and the country-style ‘Can’t You Just Adore Her?’, in which Moore paints herself as just a girl wanting to be loved.

In all, a great effort by Ms Moore, and for fans of female singer-songwriters who want a mixture of alt/indie/country wrapped into one album then this is the one for you.

That is, if you can get past the fact that this is a Mandy Moore album.

I give it HHHH

Official Website

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