Artist: Shania Twain | Album: Now | Label: Mercury Nashville | Catalog #: B0027069-02 | Released: 2017 | Genre: Pop, Folk, Country | Country: Canada | Duration: 00:56:16

Shania Twain entered a self-imposed exile following the supporting tour for 2002’s Up!, suffering from a then-undisclosed contraction of Lyme disease. Troubles compounded, as they often do. Twain split from her husband, Robert John “Mutt” Lange, in 2008, a traumatic event on its own that was complicated by the fact that he was her collaborator on the blockbusters The Woman in Me (1995), Come on Over (1997), and Up! This meant she had to start over personally and professionally, which explains the long delay between Up! and Now, which was released in September of 2017. Many trends have come and gone during that 15-year gap and Twain — assisted by not one producer but a roundtable, as is standard for 21st century blockbusters — decides to split the difference between chasing fashion and staying true to her glitzy country-pop. It’s a tricky move made harder by the fact that so much of her ’90s appeal rested on her unfettered exuberance, and that sunniness is understandably tarnished due to the bruises she sustained during her difficult hiatus. Twain addresses this pain on Now — sometimes directly, sometimes elliptically — but she makes it plain that she’s come out from the darkness, celebrating that she’s “Home Now” with the “Light of My Life” and “Life’s About to Get Good.” Worthy sentiments all, but the problem is these songs — and Now in general — don’t feel nearly as bright and cheerful as Twain’s records with Lange, nor do they deliver the same kind of sweet, sentimental rush on the ballads. Now is melodically undernourished, with hooks never quite materializing in either the choruses or the excessively polished arrangements designed to support Twain, not sell the tracks. That production, a mishmash of Vegas showstoppers and feints toward the electronic-glazed AAA charts, feels as hesitant and inarticulate as the songs. Sometimes, Twain’s signature charm surfaces — “Because of You” has a lovely, gentle sway, “You Can’t Buy Love” is a fizzy bit of bubblegum in the vein of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” (unfortunately both are buried deep into the album) — but Now feels fussy, as if every element was triple-guessed because the pressure to have a triumphant comeback was too great.

Tracklisting:

01. Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed [03:33]
02. Home Now [03:21]
03. Light Of My Life [03:36]
04. Poor Me [03:21]
05. Who’s Gonna Be Your Girl [04:13]
06. More Fun [03:38]
07. I’m Alright [03:51]
08. Let’s Kiss And Make Up [03:59]
09. Where Do You Think You’re Going [03:22]
10. Roll Me On The River [03:06]
11. We Got Something They Don’t [03:28]
12. Because Of You [03:47]
13. You Can’t Buy Love [02:39]
14. Life’s About To Get Good [03:40]
15. Soldier [02:59]
16. All In All [03:43]

Single download
Shania Twain – Many trends have come and gone during that 15-year gap and Twain — assisted by not one producer but a roundtable, as is standard for 21st century blockbusters — decides to split the difference between chasing fashion and staying true to her glitzy country-pop. It’s a tricky move made harder by the fact that so much of her ’90s appeal rested on her unfettered exuberance, and that sunniness is understandably tarnished due to the bruises she sustained during her difficult hiatus. Twain addresses this pain on Now — sometimes directly, sometimes elliptically — but she makes it plain that she’s come out from the darkness, celebrating that she’s “Home Now” with the “Light of My Life” and “Life’s About to Get Good.” Worthy sentiments all, but the problem is these songs — and Now in general — don’t feel nearly as bright and cheerful as Twain’s records with Lange, nor do they deliver the same kind of sweet, sentimental rush on the ballads. Now is melodically undernourished, with hooks never quite materializing in either the choruses or the excessively polished arrangements designed to support Twain, not sell the tracks. That production, a mishmash of Vegas showstoppers and feints toward the electronic-glazed AAA charts, feels as hesitant and inarticulate as the songs. Sometimes, Twain’s signature charm surfaces — “Because of You” has a lovely, gentle sway, “You Can’t Buy Love” is a fizzy bit of bubblegum in the vein of Amy Winehouse’s “Valerie” unfortunately both are buried deep into the album
Shania Twain – Swingin’ With My Eyes Closed 03:33
Shania Twain – Home Now 03:21
Shania Twain – Light Of My Life 03:36
Shania Twain – Poor Me 03:21
Shania Twain – Who’s Gonna Be Your Girl 04:13
Shania Twain – More Fun 03:38
Shania Twain – I’m Alright 03:51
Shania Twain – Let’s Kiss And Make Up 03:59
Shania Twain – Where Do You Think You’re Going 03:22
Shania Twain – Roll Me On The River 03:06
Shania Twain – We Got Something They Don’t 03:28
Shania Twain – Because Of You 03:47
Shania Twain – You Can’t Buy Love 02:39
Shania Twain – Life’s About To Get Good 03:40
Shania Twain – Soldier 02:59
Shania Twain – All In All 03:43

Category:Pop
Main catalog

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