Maps of Music

Sheryl Crow (1996)

Where the lyrics of Sheryl Crow take you, and where it was really made.

The album began in the same Pasadena studio that made Crow's previous record, but sessions moved to New Orleans after she felt ghosts in that room.

Key places

Main recording site in New Orleans (1996)

Recording site Mobile studio, 1305 Soniat Street — Most of the album was recorded at Kingsway Studios in New Orleans. The point marks the city center, not the exact studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Later sessions at The Sound Factory (1996)

Recording site The Sound Factory — Crow returned to Los Angeles after the New Orleans sessions to complete work at The Sound Factory. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Later sessions at Sunset Sound (1996)

Recording site Sunset Sound — Crow also completed work at Sunset Sound in Los Angeles after recording most of the album in New Orleans. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Where the album work started in Pasadena (1996)

Recording site Becker Mastering — Work on the album began at Toad Hall in Pasadena, the same studio where the previous album was recorded. The point marks the city center, not the exact studio building. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Second studio album by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow
• Released September 24, 1996 by A&M Records, on CD and cassette
• Entirely produced by Crow herself
• Covers American life, relationship breakups, and moral and ethical issues
• Mixes rock, blues, alternative rock, country, and folk
• Lead single 'If It Makes You Happy' released September 3, 1996
• Retrospectively often regarded as Crow's best album

Background

• Follows Tuesday Night Music Club (1993), written by a casual collective formed by Crow and other musicians
• Predecessor produced several hits, including 'All I Wanna Do', 'Strong Enough', and 'Leaving Las Vegas'
• Work began at Toad Hall in Pasadena, California, the studio where the previous album was recorded
• Sessions moved to New Orleans because Crow felt ghosts in that room
• Bill Bottrell was designated producer and co-wrote three songs, but left over differences with Crow
• Crow then took over production and wrote most songs alone or with one collaborator

Recording

• Most of the album recorded at Kingsway Studios in New Orleans
• Crow later returned to Los Angeles to finish work at The Sound Factory and Sunset Sound
• Crow played most instruments, including bass, guitar, and nearly all keyboard parts
• Audio mastering took place at Gateway Mastering Studios in Portland, Maine

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Early life

• Born February 11, 1962 in Kennett, Missouri.
• Studied music education at the University of Missouri, earning a BS Ed in 1984.
• Worked as a music teacher and sang commercial jingles before moving into music.

Career

• Toured as a backing vocalist for Michael Jackson during the Bad World Tour (1987–1989).
• Debut album Tuesday Night Music Club (1993) produced hits including "All I Wanna Do" and "Strong Enough"; won three Grammys at the 37th ceremony.
• Released 12 studio albums, five compilations and three live albums; sold over 50 million albums worldwide.
• Won nine Grammy Awards from 32 nominations; inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2023.
• Known for a rock-oriented sound blending blues, country, folk and pop, with idealistic lyrics.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Critics gave the album acclaim, praising its intricate production and Crow's louder, more assured performance
• Spin's Eric Weisbard praised the production and said the record goes much further than its predecessor
• Entertainment Weekly's David Browne noted Crow's louder and more assured singing
• The Baltimore Sun's J. D. Considine praised Crow's vocals, especially on 'If It Makes You Happy'

Reappraisal

• Rolling Stone editor David Fricke criticized the album as underdeveloped and lacking originality
• Fricke compared 'Hard to Make a Stand' unfavorably to songs by the Rolling Stones and the Velvet Underground
• Critics considered the last third of the album the weakest part
• The Village Voice's Robert Christgau gave it a one-star honorable mention grade
• AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine called it a postmodern masterpiece of sorts
• Rolling Stone selected the album as one of the essential albums of the decade in 1999

Records

• Reached number six on the US Billboard 200 and sold 143,000 copies in its first two weeks
• Reached number five on the UK Albums Chart
• Certified triple platinum by both the RIAA and the BPI
• Sold 2,400,000 units in the US as of January 2008, according to Nielsen SoundScan
• Top ten in Austria, Belgium, New Zealand, Sweden, and Switzerland
• Won Best Rock Album and Best Female Rock Vocal Performance at the 39th Annual Grammy Awards
• Ranked number 475 in Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums of All Time (2020)

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · fr.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The song 'Love Is a Good Thing' caused controversy, and Walmart banned sales of the album in its stores.
• 'Redemption Day' was inspired by a USO trip Crow took with Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, and Johnny Cash later covered it on his 2010 posthumous record.
• The British edition includes the bonus track 'Free Man', which the American edition does not have.
• A Signature Tour Edition came out in Australia and Japan in 1997, with a bonus CD of six songs recorded live at Shepherd's Bush Empire in London on November 26, 1996.
• The Shepherd's Bush live set was also released in the UK in 1997 as the Special Edition.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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