C'mon, C'mon

Sheryl Crow’s fourth album, 2002’s C’mon, C’mon, capitalizes on her strengths. Whereas her previous album, The Globe Sessions, stripped the sound to its essentials, C’mon, C’mon expands into pure classic rock glory, indulging in pretty sonic touches where the backing vocals and shimmering guitars emphasize Crow’s knack for pop songwriting, whether they be stadium rockers or her own take on the power ballad. Crow also teams up with a healthy group of guests to put her points across. “Soak Up the Sun” (with Liz Phair) is the obvious hook, however, the album offers more than a few tunes (“You’re An Original” with Lenny Kravitz) clearly aimed at radio play with the convertible top down. The title track stacks up the guitars and keyboards for more perfect classic rock. “Safe and Sound,” “It’s So Easy” (with Don Henley) and “Weather Channel (with Emmylou Harris) are the emotive ballads that showcase Crow’s ability to both warmly coo yet still reach the last row of the arena. Crow can sing to any room she pleases, managing to be both personal and universal, sophisticated yet accessible at each crucial point.