Shania Twain -Now
1. Swingin’ With My Eyes
Closed.
2. Home Now
3. Light Of My Life
4. Poor Me
5. Who’s Gonna Be Your Girl
6. More Fun
7. I’m Alright
8. Roll Me On The River
9. We Got Something They
Don’t
10. You Can’t Buy Love
11. Life’s About To Get
Good
12. Soldier
It’s the comeback sensation
of the year: One of the world’s most famous singers, Shania Twain, has just
released her new album „Now“ after a break of 15 years.
Before analyzing this new
piece of music, let’s take a look at the artist’s life and career: Shania Twain
was born in Ontario/Canada in 1965, her original name being Eilleen Regina
Edwards. She chose the indian word „Shania“ as her first name, her last name
„Twain“ being the name of her stepfather Jerry Twain, who died in an accident
in 1987, together with her mother.
Her musical career began in
1993 with the first album „Shania“, which was already a millionseller, while
the second album „The Woman In Me“ was even sold 12 million times.
Originally playing and
singing countrymusic, Shania entered the world of popmusic, when her 1997 album
„Come On Over“ was remixed in countrypopstyle.
„Come On Over“ was extremely
successful, with 34 million copies being sold, and several tracks were released
as single records (e.g. „That don’t impress me much“, „You’re still the one“,
„Man! I feel like a woman“), which all hit the popcharts all over the world.
In 2002 Shania released her
platinum album „Up“, which lead her further on her way to success.
After that there was just a
„Greatest Hits“ album in 2004, and then nothing new for more than ten years,
due to familiar reasons and health problems.
As a lot has happened to Mrs
Twain in this long period, the new album „Now“ is an attempt to process the
shadows of the past with the conclusion that all negative aspects will be
followed by positive ones.
So „Now“ sounds rather
optimistic, the first track being called „Life’s About To Get Good“.
In spite of the sad title „Poor Me“ (about Shania’s separation
from her husband), there is a positive message above all.
The 12 songs, all composed by
herself, all sound quite different, from rockstyle („We Got Something They
Don’t Want“), to retrosound („Who’s Gonna Be Your Girl“), a piece of irish
folk-influenced music („Home Now“) and of course some calmer tracks, „Soldier“
(accompanied by a Billy Joel style piano) being my favourite title on the
album.
Shania’s vocal versatility is
best heard on „Light Of My Life“ and her voice makes listening to this new
album generally pleasant, though there is no track which sounds like a
chartbreaker.
So I doubt that „Now“ will be
as commercially successful as previous Shania Twain albums, though a lot of
people will probably be glad that Shania is back after 15 years.
Alexander Schulz-Luckenbach
für Country Music News International