Stephen's Angry Rant #2-Say It Ain't So, Sheryl! - May 23, 2001 - Movies

As many of you can no doubt ascertain by a quick glance at the music section of my page, there is no artist that I hold in esteem quite like Sheryl Crow. Though some have criticized her vocal qualities, I scoff at them. Her voice is unique, powerful, and expressive. Her lyricism is among the best in today's sub-par cannon. And her music is deliberately anachronisitic, calling to mind the sounds of the great classic rock artists of yesteryear. Above all, she has always seemed to follow her own path, not getting caught up in this mass marketed scheming to turn a few more dollars profit. Granted, she is certainly in the market to make money, she has yet to do a Super Bowl half-time show with teeny boppers (as another once-great band who shall remain nameless did). She hasn't sold out like so many....at least not yet.

I shucked the recent rumors that she was dating Kid Rock. I mean, come on. She's out there crying for a new wave of feminism. I would seriously doubt she'd stick herself to a man whose lyrics ring of phrases like "I f*cked so many hoes, I'm in the hall of fame." Furthermore, her songs have always had a depth about them. They beg one to look deeper into them for meaning. There's not much depth in "I bust more rhymes than virgin cherries." If these two collaborate, either Kid Rock has to step it up several notches, or Sheryl has to degrade herself. I hope those are just rumors.

Now, however, I am skeptical. Though much heat has been given to Napster, I have found it an invaluable tool to acquire obscure songs by Miss Crowe, being the die hard fan that I am. Live concert stuff, covers, soundtrack songs, I found them all and compiled them into a 2 CD collection, and I'll just tell you now, there is nothing finer than "Reach around Jerk" or her cover of the Stones "Get off My Cloud." Therefore, when I heard she had a new song on the soundtrack to Bridget Jones's Diary, I immediately searched it out and acquired it. I was shocked at what I found.

"Kiss That Girl Goodbye" has no hard guitar riff, no orchestral integration, none of the stuff that I love about Sheryl Crow's music. It was just a pop track, with an automated drum track and benign music. It sounds more like Leigh Nash's "Need to Be Next to You" than the classic "My Favorite Mistake." She ran from her classic rock roots and planted herself smack dab in the middle of the dungheap of pop.

Lyrically, I must admit the song is sound. It certainly resounds with neo-feminist declarations and goes hand-in-hand with the themes of the movie (which is worth a look, I might add). I would also admit it's a wee bit catchy. It's not that I don't listen to it. It's just that I don't want to see her go this direction. Sheryl Crow has a sound that is distinctly hers, a passion that flows through in her music. It is absent from this track. I'm scared shitless that this will be the direction of her next album. Even worse, I'm afraid if I actually am enjoying a track on it, it will suddenly be polluted by the rapping trailer-trash.

There are so few true artists today. When giants like Aerosmith who have paved the way for rebellious anthems of true rock sell out to the corporate giants and when the top records are sold by boy bands who are only cogs in the capitalist's machine, we need music that is defiantly non-commercial. We need songs that come from the heart, the guitar screaming as if it were an extension of the artist's soul, all the pain and passion flowing out. We need drums that actually come from the instruments and not from machines. We need songwriting that challenges a listener to think deeper, not just sing along. Until this point, Sheryl Crow's music was just that. I can only hope that when the new Sheryl Crow CD is on the shelf (and, yes, when that day comes, regardless of my reservations, I will still buy it THE day it is released) that I find this rebellion still present. What a shame it would be to know that she fought and clawed for her own autonomy, and, now that she has won the right to produce her own stuff, she too became a cog in that giant, infernal machine that continually pollutes the airwaves.

Xanadu8503@aol.com

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Page Updated Wed May 23, 2001 3:42am EDT