Sheryl Crow isn’t one to rest on her laurels and or get caught up in the hype. She may be one half of celebrity power couple Crow-Armstrong but her focus has remained steadfastly on her music. On her latest album Wildflower she pushes forward and digs deeper into her creative repertoire to produce something that is unlike anything she’s done before.
This is not her typical feel-good vibe that can be found in previous works, this album is more serious, more somber. It is ironic in light of her happy engagement to Lance Armstrong. A melancholy tone pervades throughout the album as she croons with her delicate and sweet voice lamenting on trials and tribulations in relationships and in the world. The lyrics are introspective, weighing in on pain and heartache as the honesty of her emotions is captivating and pulls you in deeper.
Crow proves her maturity and shows her poetic side with introspective and confessional lyrics. She bitterly reflects on a failed relationship in the song a “Perfect Lie” which is an articulate and expressive exorcism of the burdens of a painful relationship. It is a satisfyingly empowering declaration of truth through which she is able to free herself with stinging confessionals like “You want me only / To never be lonely / So you opened up your arms and took me in / But this is our last goodbye / This is a perfect lie”. Other memorable tracks include “I Know Why” and “Wildflower”. There is a brief respite in levity with the song “Live It Up” which is more inline with the catchy hooks and feel good lyrics of some of her popular hit singles. On the final track “Where Has All The Love Gone” Crow eludes to the war in Iraq and its tragedies while openly criticizing the powers that be.
"Wildflower” may not be sunny and light, but Crow sure does shine and shows she is still blossoming as a true artist and poet.

Get any track from the Sheryl Crow's' latest album Wildflower for FREE by completing any MPFree.com offer - Click here.

Southern hip-hop’s new hero is Paul Wall aka Paul Slayton. Hailing from H-Town, or Houston for those who don’t know, Paul brings the unique Houston sound to the forefront of national attention with his first major label release The People’s Champ.

Coming out strong and representing the signature “screwed and chopped” sound with the slowed down syrup-soaked hooks birthed in the grimy streets of Houston, Paul Wall shows the world that its high time his city occupied the spotlight. Southern hip-hop has blasted to the top of the hip-hop charts and now is the dominant single style right now. With rappers like Lil' Jon and crunk superstars such as Nelly blazing the trail for their southern counterparts, new southern styles are making themselves heard loud and clear across the nation.

Houston’s screw sound is a reflection of the slow pace of Houston living. Paul raps in a drawn out southern drawl and brings the laid back vibe with his slow motion lyrical flow to a new level. The lyrics focus on the Houston lifestyle, the styles of dress, the drugs, the cars and the iced out grills. The chorus in “So Many Diamonds” shows this preoccupation with materialism “So many diamonds in my teeth, you can’t see no gold”. Paul sports a crazy iced grill to back up his claims, even going so far as to start his own business designing gold and diamond fronts for rappers such as Kanye West and Nelly. Standout tracks include “They Don’t Know” with its heavy beat laced with an up tempo keyboard hook we are introduced to the Houston scene, an education for the ignorant. On “State to State” Paul pulls out all the stops with a grimy humming beat and lyrical call to squash the haters. The big hits on this album are definitely “Sittin’ Sidewayz” and “Trill” which are both slow and molasses tempo thumpers espousing the virtues of the hustling lifestyle. This album is a definite necessity for those who like cruising and getting their woofers bumping. Now you can do that with the sounds of H-Town courtesy of the chopped and screwed sound mastered by Mr. Paul Wall. And remember in true Houston style, drive slow homie.

Get your Paul Wall's new album The People's Champ for FREE by completing any MPFree.com offer - Click here.