Stevie Nicks
calls in a few friends on this one.
Trouble in Shangri-La
enlists some of music's most popular females, including
Macy Gray
,
Sarah McLachlan
, and
Dixie Chick
Natalie Maines
. If
Nicks
hadn't been doing it for years, this might feel like a calculated attempt to follow the trend set by
Santana
's
Supernatural
. Her liner notes have always been star-studded. Over the years she's gotten help from the likes of
Don Henley
Don Felder
Bruce Hornsby
Mike Campbell
Tom Petty
. Most prominent on this album is
Sheryl Crow
, who co-produced five of the album's 13 tracks. Her signature guitar sound shines through on many of the songs.
Maines
performs the album's only true duet on
"Too Far From Texas."
The other guests are noticeable, but act mostly as backup voices and musicians. Make no mistake about it -- this is a
album from beginning to end, and she's at the top of her game here. It's not a departure, but a renewed energy makes this her best work since 1985's
Rock a Little
. Titles like
"Sorcerer"
and
"Bombay Sapphires"
preserve her mystical persona, and despite their mythical sound, they touch on human and very personal subject matter. Her deliberate lyrics sometimes feel a bit more like prose than verse, but the conviction in her voice adds legitimacy to her words. While
' voice has matured, it is just as strong as it ever was. She shows great range, from the heartbroken tenderness of
"Love Changes"
to the aggressive
rock
of
"Fall From Grace."
not only reminds listeners what
has meant to music, but it finds her a place in modern-day
pop
. ~ Brad Kohlenstein