Sheryl Crow Revealed To America

I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with Sheryl Crow’s music. When I first heard of her, I was up and above myself, waiting for her videos and wanting to see her live. I was too young to know better. The thing is Sheryl Crow, at best, is good. Her roots rock is just not for me. Her music sometimes remind me of those country songs my grandmother liked listening to while she chopped onions or something. She’s had her highs (Home, My Favorite Mistake, Weather Channel) and troubling lows (Soak up the sun, half of C’mon, C’mon).

Her debut release, by far, catches her in her most admirable. Her vocal performance is natural, hype free and spirited. The sound that she carries is admirable, groovy and sexy. This is her before people paid attention, before the Grammy crowded her territory.

Maybe, my lukewarm feelings for most of what Sheryl Crow does is about other folks singing her praises and buying her records by truckloads when she barely registers emotion in her pop moments.

Still, Tuesday Night Music Club holds a promise that was never proven, at least to my ears. It’s not a master stroke, I’ll tell you that. But there is enough to not throw it away to the bin.

All I Wanna Do, her breakthrough hit, has a disposable charm. Her lyric writing are annoying but it being intended to be a bit on the cheesy side excuses it. The melody is infectious. But it’s not the kind that gets under your skin. It slides off once the song ends.
It’s cute.

Leaving Las Vegas and Can’t Cry Anymore show her less insipid side, crafting songs that are poppy, undeniably catchy and adventurous enough not to suffocate.

Solidify and The Na Na Song are very clear in what they want to explore. They are jazz-hued tracks that lack any kind of genuine sincerity. They’re basically just vibes. I prefer Solidify over The Na Na Song. The Latter is a fast, shouty track that just did not please me. Solidify, at least, is understandable.

Thank God, there are mellower songs in the lot. Like a lot of female singer songwriters, Sheryl Crow tends to be more moving when she’s not all over the place.
Strong Enough is a credibly open hearted tune with basic guitar supporting Crow’s lush vocals.
No One Said It Would Be Easy is a country tinged ballad that features good writing.
And best, I Shall Believe brings the record to a slow, gimmick free end. It’s a lovely, meaningful song that makes the flaws of the rest quite forgivable.