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Album Description Japanese only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD - playable on all CD players) pressing includes three bonus tracks. Universal. 2008. |
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Album Description Japanese only SHM-CD (Super High Material CD - playable on all CD players) pressing includes three bonus tracks. Universal. 2008. |
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The album's been out several years as I write this, and I've seen SC in concert three times since then, including for the Detours album, which is very strong.
What I find so surprising is that she rarely plays ANY songs from this album, although she plays lots of hits and album cuts from the others. To me, that's a huge disappointment since this album has more five-star songs (my opinion, of course) than the rest of her albums combined. Detours, for example, has lots of 4-star songs but no fives.
Based on some less enthusiastic reviews I've read here, I have to assume that SC fans who pan this album didn't listen closely enough. "I Know Why", "Perfect Lie" (which would be best at the end of the album), "Lifetimes" and "Letter to God" are beyond inspired both musically and, particularly, lyrically. She played it safe? I don't think so. "And what if everyone is wrong?" from "Letter to God", is hardly a safe lyric. But you have to pay attention to know what she's asking about. And I've always wondered about the line in that song "... I stood in line / 'til the line was gone / and my turn to win was lost."
To me, it's one of the best albums of all time and remains my favorite. One day, maybe some of the songs will become the soundtrack to a popular movie and the world with recognize it for the powerful message it delivers. She must have heard the voice of the Angel.
2009-03-31 Great Sheryl CD!!!!
I believe that this one is great! I love every song from this album. But my favorites are Good is good and Always in your side!!!
Buy it! Absolutely no regret!
2009-03-12 PUTS ME TO SLEEP
boring! when has sheryl crow ever played it safe? it's like she did'nt even try!
2009-02-28 This really grew on me and now I LOVE IT
I didn't start loving this album and I think it's because Sheryl Crow is never content giving you what you expect. The conversational quick witted fresh qualities of Tuesday night music club were followed by the smart playful but also quirky defiance of Sheryl Crow and then came the moody deeply introspective Globe sessions followed by a country Rock record with 70's rock flavor and now this moody sweet very emotional album. So when I first heard it, I couldn't quite get my head around it. It just didn't sound like Sheryl Crow but by the third or fourth listening, it was all there. This is the Sheryl Crow I know and love. Poetic conversational lyrics with a very somber deep attitude and music that gets to the heart without sentimentality. I love that no two albums sounds alike and this is no exception.
"I know why" and "I don't wanna know" are my two favorites. So sad and yet sweet and simple, they ring so true to me. Sheryl Crow's ends are always loose and never neatly gathered. You get ideas and fragments of details and your imagination and her amazing musical sense carry you through like in Good is good's: "She put your books out on the side walk. Now they're blowing around. They won't help you when you're down"
The lyrical structure of that song alone is the reason why this album is so great. Is Crow the girlfriend kicking the guy out? Is she a seer with a crystal ball? Is she a stranger telling him her reaction to the story he told her? And then comes the bridge and you get it: "When the day is gone and everyone's sleeping and the moon is on it's way to shine. All your friends are gone you thought were so worth keeping. You feel you don't belong Neither do I" right to the point! This is a song about what it's like to lose it all and contemplate how he would feel if the shoe were on the other foot but then he still had to recover from it all and start over loveless and friendless. Does he cower and hide or does he risk getting hurt and possibly dumped again in order to live? It's not corny and obvious. It's like a puzzle and it all works at the end:-) This is why Sheryl Crow only tops the charts when she Soaks up The Sun. Her songs require thought (Not that there is anything wrong with Soak Up The Sun. I love The Beach Boys!)
2008-11-05 Just perfect.
This is one of my favorite albums to listen to. I can't go on praising this album before I mention that the producer is John Shanks. Shanks is an amazing producer - he has this knack for making things sound very streamlined and smooth. I was surprised with how he transformed Sheryl's trademark gritty country-rock sound into something that shines on the surface. He performed this same feat on Alanis Morissette's So-Called Chaos album a little later.
Sheryl's voice also sounds amazing on this record. My favorites are:
I Know Why
Good Is Good
Chances Are
Lifetimes
'Good is Good' is probably Sheryl's best song to date, in my opinion. 'Chances Are' is a surprising turn of events - what? A tabla? Slide guitar? On a Sheryl Crow record? I have to say it works - the song becomes a very palatable treat. The Wurlitzer on 'Lifetimes' is also a welcome visitor on Sheryl's normal instrumental canvas.
Also, if you were to get the version with the bonus DVD, which I have, it's only worth it if you'd like to see some live acoustic versions of the songs, which sound almost identical to the studio versions. John Shanks plays the guitar in some of the performances.