Review Summary: Giddy? Yup.
Shania Twain’s latest comeback is on horseback. She’s back on horseback, which is ironic, because she once got bit by a tick on horseback. She also lost her voice and contracted Lyme disease. She was out of commission for
quite a while going through various voice surgeries, and has returned once again, triumphantly. Queen Of Me is a declaration of Shania’s confidence in making it through various struggles in her life, and this new release encapsulates that positive motif. Queen Of Me is a welcome return for the country-pop star.
Though not as memorable as her most iconic outings, there’s enough old Shania style to please fans. Songs like Giddy Up!, Got It Good, and Not Just A Girl are a few examples of the style of tracks one might expect from Shania. That is to say, she hasn’t missed a step. The album is also full of tracks that any old pop artist could produce. They are not bad tracks, though the word generic comes to mind occasionally. I keep imagining Meghan Trainor’s voice in Pretty Liar, because the song would fit like a glove on an album of hers.
Barely country-ish pop tracks fill the time, and though generic pop may not seem inspiring, it’s very catchy, as per usual Shania business. Some critics mentioned an excessively used vocal effect on Shania’s voice, and all I can say is this is pop. It may be there, but it shouldn’t stop you from enjoying these upbeat tracks. The difference between Up! and this latest album? Shania is older. Nonetheless, she still sounds incredible. In Got It Good it sounds like time hasn’t passed at all, as Shania hits the high notes effortlessly.
I admittedly have nostalgia towards Shania’s earlier works. I was raised in the 90s after all, a time in which Shania kicked ass. Therefore, I noted a lack of “oh ohhhs”, chirps, and generic sayings like “Let’s go, boys” in this album, but that’s a minuscule gripe. Shania is back and sounds as good ever, and I’ll forever remain on the Shania train. Yes, I will die on this hill. “Previously powerful star goes bland pop with diminishing returns” is a brazenly negative headline. I see a lady as strong as ever, and the glorious return of the beloved icon Shania Twain.
