Sheryl Crow is back with her first new album since 2010ās 100 Miles from Memphis. Released last autumn in the US, Feels Like Home is Crowās debut country album and finally made its way to the UK earlier this year. Co-produced by Crow, the album features 12 original tracks including lead single Easy. Can Crowās crossover into country prove to be a hit in the UK where country is pretty much a no-go?
Feels Like Home is a logical move for Crow and one that we canāt believe she hasnāt done earlier in her career. Honestly much of her music could easily be classed as country or at least having country influences so the style on Feels Like Home isnāt as big a leap as you may be expecting. Crow has enlisted the help of the cream of country music writers for the record dispelling any doubts that sheās another pop/rock star trying to cash in on country.
The album opens with the punchy Shotgun which is a nice bridge between the rockier style Sheryl has had over her career and the country influences sheās brought to the fore on the record. Across the record thereās plenty of variety and Crow uses her distinctive voice in ways we havenāt heard before. Lead single Easy is one of the more laidback tracks on the record and there are plenty of vocal riffs that are typical of a country song. Crowās voice suits the genre perfectly and she sounds fantastic.
Highlights on the record include the playful We Oughta Be Drinkinā, the tongue-in-cheek Crazy Aināt Original which sees Crow explore the state of pop culture, and the country blues feel of ballad Waterproof Mascara. The best track on the album is the stripped-back Homecoming Queen which packs an emotional punch whilst staying true to the storytelling lyric that Crow has always had in her songs.
The album comes to a close on the gentle Stay At Home Mother which is a gentle finish to a rather stunning record.
Feels Like Home is a solid album from Crow and we hope she continues to explore her country side. This is her best album since 2002ās Cāmon Cāmon and we definitely want more from where this came from. She sounds at her best when she mixes the rockier side of her music with a twang of country and she could enjoy a career boost with more music like this. We canāt wait until she brings her show to the UK later in the year and we can hear these songs live.