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Evolution (Sheryl Crow album)

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Evolution
Studio album by
Sheryl Crow
ReleasedMarch 29, 2024 (2024-03-29)
GenreCountry rock, Americana
Length41:02
LabelBig Machine
Producer
Sheryl Crow chronology
Threads
(2019) 		Evolution
(2024)
Singles from Evolution
  1. "Alarm Clock"
    Released: November 3, 2023
  2. "Evolution"
    Released: January 12, 2024[1]
  3. "Do It Again"
    Released: February 9, 2024
  4. "Digging in the Dirt"
    Released: March 8, 2024

Evolution is the twelfth studio album by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow. It was released on March 29, 2024, through Big Machine, her second release with the label. It was her first studio album in five years, and was announced after she was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November 2023.

The album received mostly positive reviews from critics, but was a commercial failure and peaked at number 90 on the UK Albums Chart, her lowest-charting album to date and did not enter the Billboard 200 U.S. charts.

Background

[edit]

Crow announced the album on November 3, 2023, which came as a surprise since she had previously stated her intentions to not release another album following 2019's Threads.[2] The news arrived just ahead of her induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame that same day.[3] Crow explained that music and lyrics on the album stem from "sitting in the quiet and writing from a deep soul place".[4] The creation process started by Crow recording a couple of demos which she then sent to producer Mike Elizondo. Songs "just kept flowing" out of her and it would soon be obvious that "this was going to be an album".[5] Following the release of Threads four years prior, she announced to never make another record because had thought there would be "no point to it". However, in creating Evolution, she found that the music comes from her soul. Crow hopes "whoever hears this record can feel that".[6]

Commercial performance

[edit]

In the United States, the Evolution peaked at number 24 on the US Billboard Album Sales Chart, being her first album not to enter the Billboard 200. None of its singles entered any US charts.

In the United Kingdom, the album peaked at number 90 on the UK Official Albums Chart, and number 6 on the UK Album Downloads Chart.[7]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic73/100[8]
Review scores
SourceRating
Loudersound[9]
i[10]
AllMusic[11]
Glide MagazinePositive[12]
Riff Magazine[13]
Clash Music[14]
Rolling Stone[15]
PitchFork[16]

Evolution received generally positive reviews from music critics. Giving the album an 8/10, Emma Harrison of ClashMusic calls Evolution a "soul-searching and liberating surprise return from the Grammy-award winner."[14] Vera Maksymiuk of Riff Magazine says the album "is at its core authentically Sheryl Crow, with an elevated artistic vision and concept to match."[13] Jeremy Lukens of Glide Magazine, conceding that "Crow's artistic peak was from 1992-2002," claims that Evolution's "blending of new territory with Crow's signature sound has enough music to satisfy the fans."[12]

Multiple reviewers, however, criticized the album for sounding too familiar. Pat Carty of Louder Sound, who rated the album 3 stars out of 5, says the album "becomes a bit by-numbers" following the opening four songs.[9] Ed Power of i says the album is "too bland to leave an impression" and that "Music has moved on in the last 30 years - but Crow is still in the same disposable groove."[10] Claire Shaffer of Pitchfork rated the album a 6/10 and says that Crow's "new album sometimes makes her singular appeal feel generic."[16]

Track listing

[edit]
Evolution – Deluxe version
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Alarm Clock"
2:54
2."Digging in the Dirt" (featuring Peter Gabriel)
  • Peter Gabriel
5:24
3."Do It Again"
4:13
4."Love Life"
  • Crow
  • Elizondo
  • Weisband
5:13
5."You Can't Change the Weather"
  • Crow
  • Jeff Trott
4:03
6."Evolution"Crow4:26
7."Where?"
  • Crow
  • Bill Bottrell
3:53
8."Don't Walk Away"Crow4:22
9."Broken Record"Crow3:07
10."Waiting in the Wings"
3:27
Total length:41:02

Note

  • The standard edition omits "Digging in the Dirt".

Personnel

[edit]

Musicians

  • Sheryl Crow – lead vocals (all tracks), background vocals (tracks 1, 3–7, 9, 10), acoustic guitar (3, 4, 9), Wurlitzer electric piano (3, 5, 9), harp (3); clapping, keyboards (4); piano (8)
  • Mike Elizondo – keyboards (tracks 1, 2, 5–10), bass (1, 2, 4–7, 9, 10), drum programming (1, 2, 5, 6, 9, 10), electric guitar (1, 2, 9, 10), background vocals (4, 9), clapping (4), acoustic guitar (6), percussion (7)
  • Wendy Melvoin – electric guitar (tracks 2, 4)
  • Keefus Ciancia – keyboards (tracks 2, 4)
  • Peter Gabriel – lead vocals (track 2)
  • E Rounds – drums, percussion (track 2)
  • Lisa Coleman – Hammond B3 (track 2)
  • Fred Eltringham – drums (tracks 3, 6, 10), percussion (3, 6, 7)
  • John Shanks – acoustic guitar, background vocals, electric guitar, synth pads (track 3)
  • Tim Smith – acoustic guitar, background vocals, bass, electric guitar (track 3)
  • Jeff Trott – electric guitar (track 3)
  • Justin Francis – tenor guitar (track 3)
  • Terence F. Clark – drums (tracks 4, 5, 9), percussion (4, 5); background vocals, clapping (4)
  • Max Townsley – acoustic guitar (track 5)
  • Tom Morello – electric guitar (track 6)
  • Rob Moose – viola, violin (tracks 6–8)
  • Bill Bottrell – acoustic guitar (track 7)
  • Alex Wilder – background vocals (track 9)
  • Erica Block – background vocals (track 9)

Technical

  • Mike Elizondo – production (tracks 1, 2, 4–10)
  • John Shanks – production (track 3)
  • Sheryl Crow – production (track 3)
  • Chris Gehringer – mastering
  • Adam Hawkins – mixing
  • Justin Francis – engineering
  • Jaime Sickora – engineering (track 2)
  • Katie May – engineering (track 2)
  • Alberto Vaz – engineering (track 3)
  • Bradley Giroux – engineering (track 3)
  • Rob Moose – engineering, string arrangement (tracks 6–8)
  • Alex Wilder – engineering assistance
  • Erica Block – engineering assistance

Charts

[edit]
Chart performance for Evolution
Chart (2024) Peak
position
Australian Digital Albums (ARIA)[17] 5
Australian Physical Albums (ARIA)[17] 55
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[18] 70
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[19] 93
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[20] 112
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[21] 67
Scottish Albums (OCC)[22] 6
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[23] 9
UK Albums (OCC)[24] 90
UK Americana Albums (OCC)[25] 3
US Top Album Sales (Billboard)[26] 24

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Sheryl Crow Questions Artificial Intelligence on Anthemic Single 'Evolution'". Rolling Stone Magazine. January 12, 2024. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  2. ^ Zemler, Emily (November 3, 2023). "Sheryl Crow Previews 11th Studio Album With Single "Alarm Clock"". Rolling Stone. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  3. ^ Pappis, Konstantinos (November 3, 2023). "Sheryl Crow Announces New Album Evolution, Shares New Single "Alarm Clock"". Our Culture Mag. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  4. ^ Anderson, Carys; Fu, Eddie (November 3, 2023). "Sheryl Crow Announces New Album Evolution, Shares "Alarm Clock": Stream". Consequence. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  5. ^ Okazawa, Ben (November 3, 2023). "Sheryl Crow Announces New Album Evolution, Shares Lead Single". Exclaim!. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  6. ^ Strauss, Matthew (November 3, 2023). "Sheryl Crow Announces New Album Evolution, Shares New Song "Alarm Clock": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  7. ^ "Sheryl Crow - Evolution". Official Charts. April 11, 2024. Retrieved August 27, 2024.
  8. ^ "Reviews for Evolution by Sheryl Crow". Metacritic. CBS Interactivedate=March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 30, 2024.
  9. ^ a b Carty, Pat (March 29, 2024). ""It all becomes a bit by-numbers": Sheryl Crow fails to evolve on unambitious Evolution album". Loudersound. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  10. ^ a b Power, Ed (March 29, 2024). "Sheryl Crow, 'Evolution' review: Too bland to leave an impression". inews. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  11. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (March 29, 2024). "Evolution Sheryl Crow". AllMusic. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  12. ^ a b Lukens, Jeremy (March 28, 2024). "With 'Evolution', Sheryl Crow Blends New Territory With Familiar Voice". GlideMagazine. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  13. ^ a b Maksymiuk, Vera (March 22, 2024). "ALBUM REVIEW: Sheryl Crow dreams of a brighter future on 'Evolution'". RiffMagazine. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  14. ^ a b Harrison, Emma (March 28, 2024). "Sheryl Crow – Evolution". ClashMagazine. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  15. ^ Browne, David (March 29, 2024). "Sheryl Crow's New Album Is Retro Sheryl Crow, And We're Fine With That". RollingStone. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
  16. ^ a b Shaffer, Claire (April 2, 2024). "Evolution Sheryl Crow". PitchFork. Retrieved April 3, 2024.
  17. ^ a b "The ARIA Report: Week Commencing 8 April 2024". The ARIA Report. No. 1779. Australian Recording Industry Association. April 8, 2024. pp. 7, 10.
  18. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Sheryl Crow – Evolution" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
  19. ^ "Ultratop.be – Sheryl Crow – Evolution" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  20. ^ "Ultratop.be – Sheryl Crow – Evolution" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  21. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Sheryl Crow – Evolution" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  22. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 6, 2024.
  23. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Sheryl Crow – Evolution". Hung Medien. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  24. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  25. ^ "Official Americana Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 5, 2024.
  26. ^ "Sheryl Crow Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved April 9, 2024.
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