Review: Shania's music shows how silly genre labeling is

[froush]

The Knoxville (Tenn.) News-Sentinel has a fairly nice review of Up! in its Sunday's edition.

What makes this story interesting is the writer's take on the country-pop genre arguments that Shania is such a part of.

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/entertainment_columnists/article/0,1406,KNS_360_1592859,00.html

[aFinn]

Twain gives her fans what they want -- country and pop

By Wayne Bledsoe, News-Sentinel music critic
December 8, 2002

Shania Twain is a conundrum. Is she one of the worst things to happen to country music or one of the best things to happen to pop? Much of Nashville seems to hate her for doing what they've tried to do for years - only better. And the pop industry remains terrified of steel guitars and mandolins. Meanwhile, Twain sits atop the heap with the seventh best-selling album of all time (and the top-seller of any female artist), "Come on Over."

"Come On Over," in fact, was released in two versions. The original American edition of the disc was initially geared toward country radio. In Europe, the disc was scrubbed of mandolins, banjos and such, allowing Twain's music to slip into dance clubs.

Twain does right by fanatic fans with her new album, "Up!" The album contains two discs of the same 19 songs - one of pop arrangements (Twain calls it the "red" mix) and the other contains countrified takes ("green"). And, for goodness sakes, fans can go online and download a third "BLUE" mix of some tracks.

The music is true to the successful formula created by Twain and her producer husband, "Mutt" Lange - it's bright and catchy and as democratically pleasing as fast food. Her physical attributes are an obvious draw for men, but Twain's songs are thematically geared toward women. And, ironically, while Twain's music can become tedious over the course of an album (a long album at that), it is irresistible in short radio-length doses.

In some ways the two discs are a good example of just how silly genres have become. Several tracks sound far better suited to the "green" arrangements (including "Forever and for Always"), and they're still pop songs, but the inclusion of steel guitar or fiddle automatically puts them in the "country" category. Other tracks, including the title song, work best in the pop arrangements. In a world where commonsense reigned, Twain would have simply chosen the arrangement that best suited the song and music fans would happily ignore music marketers' designations or be forced to overcome their own prejudices.

Still, at the very least, Twain is conscientious enough of her audience not to make them buy this music twice. Grade: B



http://mas.scripps.com/KNS/2002/12/06/1208bled1e_e.jpg

[Troll]

Yes this is a good review.

[jen]

Good Review!! Finally someone acknowledges hoe generous Shania is to her fans for the two discs for one price!!