Sheryl Crow Traverses Genres and Embraces Her Roots on Final Album ‘Threads’

Adi Mehta

A quarter of a century has passed since Sheryl Crow debuted with “Tuesday Night Music Club,” and promptly took home Grammys in the most coveted categories. Songs like her “Makes You Happy” and “My Favorite Mistake” were the quintessential sounds of the ‘90s. Over the years, she has steadily channeled disparate stylistic influences, often with heavy Americana instincts, into pop and rock creations, with her finger on the pulse of evolving popular musical sensibilities. Her eleventh album, “Threads” follows in a rich history of collaborative efforts, extending back to her 1999 album “Sheryl Crow and Friends: Live From Central Park.” Some of her guests on that record, such as Keith Richards, Stevie Nicks, and Eric Clapton, return for the latest one. Along with them come some of the biggest names in country — Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Emylou Harris, even a posthumous appearance by Johnny Cash. Interspersed are ventures into wildly varied genres with the likes of Mavis Staples, Chuck D, and St. Vincent. So ambitious is the list that Crow has anticipated the unlikelihood of following up a project of this scale, and suggested that this will be her swan song, although she promises to continue touring. Although it has its patchy moments, “Threads” is mainly a collection of exceptional songwriting and stirring performances.

Crow gets straight to business without a second wasted. Opener “Prove You Wrong” begins directly with the chorus, and proves a confident start, with lyrics like ”I got my mind made up and my high heels on,” rattled off by a pairing of classic and contemporary star power. Fleetwood Mac’s Stevie Nicks and pop country darling Maren Morris join Crow for a spirited, streamlined exchange over raw guitars and handclaps. Then, “Live Wire” falls into a blues groove and Southern rock swagger, with Bonnie Raitt and the ever-soulful Mavis Staples laying down their signature sounds. Chris Stapleton comes in for “Tell Me When It’s Over,” his rugged howling strikingly juxtaposed with Crow’s easy poise.   

Among the more adventurous instances of genre hopping is the “Story of Everything,” with Chuck D rapping in his old school flow, over supremely funky guitar licks from Gary Clark Jr. and a particularly bold vocal performance by Andra Day. Lyrics about a troubled soul who shoots up a church, and welfare paying more than a job, come across as rather disjointed, too arbitrary to really comprise a story of anything, and don’t quite validate the song’s title, although the loose and playful musical stylings somewhat let them work. The George Harrison cover “Beware of Darkness” shifts gears majorly, soft and sprawling, with intricate guitar work from Eric Clapton, who played on the original track, and Sting, a long time friend of Crow’s, somewhere in the mix. Brandi Carlile’s epic, rough-hewn dramatism is matched with Crow’s comparatively gentle enunciations in a gorgeous, harmonious blend.   

“Redemption Day,” from Crow’s 1996 self-titled album, is revisited in a new version that interpolates Johnny Cash’s vocals from a cover of the song recorded shortly before he passed away. Unlike the jaunty, upbeat original, the remake abandons percussion, and takes a meditative, intimate approach that brings out the depth of the lyrics, and highlights the poignancy of Cash’s voice alongside Crow’s. “Cross Creek Road,” featuring instrumentation from Neil Young and vocals from Lukas Nelson, is a tender song with classic country vocal harmonies that conjure a timeless sense of romance. “Everything is Broken” is an upbeat Southern rock ‘n’ roll stomp, full of colorful guitars, on which Crow and Jason Isbell lightheartedly enumerate broken things with celebratory zeal. 

Keith Richards appears on a cover of “The Worst” from the Rolling Stones’ 1994 album “Voodoo Lounge,” one of the few Stones songs with Richards on lead singing duties. On the remake, he settles for backing vocals, as Crow takes the spotlight, her delicate delivery quite a contrast from his scratchy voice. “Lonely Alone” is a nostalgically styled shuffle, featuring none other than WIllie Nelson, and the priceless chorus line, “There’s no reason to be lonely alone.” Crow keeps the big names coming, teaming up with Kris Kristofferson for “Border Lord,” and continues to deliver memorable lyrics with wordplay like “the time we never had the time to take.” The Joe Walsh-featuring “Good Old Days” sounds much like you’d expect from its title, and stands out for sections of quirky guitar acrobatics. 

The most surprising collaboration comes from indie genius St. Vincent, but her contribution, “Wouldn’t Want to Be Like You,” can be a bit of a let down, sounding oddly unlike the work of either her or Sheryl Crow. It features the two nearly rapping, and is devoid of any country elements, but at any rate, it adds some extra novelty to the tracklist. On the other hand, another indie undertaking, “Don’t,” featuring Brooklyn band Lucius, especially lets Crow shine with its charged chords and melodies. “Nobody’s Perfect” one of the simpler, uncluttered tunes, with the legendary Emmylou Harris trading verses and uniting in winsome harmonies with Crow. Such is also the case with the James Taylor-featuring “Flying Blind,” lyrically an afterthought on the preceding song, in a different mood. Finally, a bittersweet, retrospective love song, “For the Sake of Love,” featuring a brief appearance from Vince Gill, makes for an effective, sentimental closer. 

“Threads” traverses an impressive number of genres, but is primarily steeped in country sounds, far more so than Crow’s earlier work. The roster of enlisted artists is staggering, and nearly every featured performer makes a considerable contribution, with their individual styles inspiring a profusion of diverse sounds. An undertaking of this nature could easily lapse into musical tourism, with clumsy stumbles into unfamiliar territory. Fortunately, most of the new songs are well informed, consummate performances that showcase Crow’s knack for accommodating diverse musical inclinations, and fashioning out of them sounds that showcase her signature attributes, but spin them into novel creations. 

“Threads” is available Aug. 30 on Apple Music.