She captivated listeners with hit songs such as “All I Wanna Do” in 1993, “Everyday is a Winding Road” in 1995 and “Soak Up the Sun” in 2002. Now, singer/songwriter Sheryl Crow is back with a new album, Detours (A&M, Feb. 5), which will captivate fans in much the same way that her previous hits did.
Detours is more political and personal than Crow’s previous albums. The various inspirations for the songs are wide-ranging, including the war in Iraq in “Peace be Upon Us,” adopting a child in “Lullaby for Wyatt” and the effects of Hurricane Katrina in “Love is Free.”
“Peace be Upon Us,” is a protest for peace and tolerance among the different cultures of the world. It contains powerful lyrics such as, “All the sinners are saints, all you creatures of faith, don’t need to be afraid.” The song also features Ahmed Al Hirmi, who sings the Arabic lyrics of the song along with Crow. Below the powerful lyrics, tribal drums can be heard, giving the track a powerful tone and making the song a great asset to the album.
“Love is Free,” another powerful track on the album, is inspired by the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The lyrics mirror some of the devastation faced by the citizens of New Orleans: “Another day, another dollar down the drain, you go to town, no one’s around. ‘Cause if you drown, there ain’t no hope for coming back.”
Despite the sadness of the lyrics and the intensity of the message behind the song, the melody is surprisingly upbeat. With the combination of the amazing acoustic guitar in the song and Crow’s witty lyrics, the song is sure to be a hit.
“Lullaby for Wyatt” is dedicated to Crow’s newly adopted son, Wyatt Steven. With touching lyrics such as “The world could fall apart, but you’re my heart, my dear, I will sing this song ’til we are gone, my dear,” the song has a sweet and sentimental feel. In addition, the song features Crow’s soft, melodic voice floating over piano and violin harmonies. These different aspects blend together to create a beautiful ballad.
“Detours,” the namesake of the album, is about the detours that we make in life and where they lead us. The song portrays a woman who is confused about finding love: “Mother can you hold me together, it’s so dark and I’m losing my way, I took all of these detours to find love, and when I did, it just faded away.” Despite the lyrics of the song, the tone is light and airy.
Between the songs “Peace be Upon Us,” “Lullaby for Wyatt,” “Love is Free,” “Detours” and the other 10 songs that are on the album, Crow’s personal and political album, Detours is sure to be an immediate hit.
Whether you have always been a fan of Crow, or if you are just interested in finding something new to listen to, give the album a listen.
It may not be as peppy as “All I Wanna Do,” but it manages to find a deeper meaning and get past the bubblegum-pop sound to real, true messages.
