Sat. Dec 14th, 2024

Renowned For Sound

For the latest music reviews and interviews

Album Review: Sheryl Crow – Be Myself

2 min read
Photo: Mark Seliger/Warner Music Australia

Be Myself is a fitting name given to the latest album served up by Sheryl Crow. The legendary American songstress incorporates a heavy dilution of folky blues-tinged rock music dipped in a fresh volume of pop sweetness. The contemporary divergence from her regular sound may come as a pleasant surprise to fans, including heightened levels of production quality and modernised appeal.

Halfway There is a shining example of such a generated accomplishment. It utilises a growling guitar overdrive that works underneath Crow’s humble vocal levitation. The record’s title track Be Myself unbridles a certain cajun atmosphere, working together with messages of honesty and originality. The record’s most charming attribute is the clarity of the instrumentation. Roller Skate harbours a flow of glistening kick drums and a purity in the guitar spaciousness. Circulating on from here is the blue grass featured haze of Rest Of Me before Heartbeat Away sits closer to sounds not dissimilar from Massive Attack or perhaps even including a little bit of a Sneaker Pimps influence. Woo Woo rounds the record out with a commercialised bar stomper – better suited to that of a packed bar of a boozy Friday night.

The record is not exactly Crow’s best work, but it’s a pleasant indication of her fitness and confidence to release something of original and authentic charm in today’s over-saturated rock-pop market. The record is more of a sweetened and refurbished moment for Crow, who still manages to sound natural and full of life here in her tenth studio album.