Whole New You
(Columbia)
It must be great to win a Grammy or two: for the unambitious artist it secures big sales in the United States for years to come. Shawn Colvin finds herself in this enviable position just a few years after scooping up some statuettes with A Few Small Repairs. No doubt Columbia was licking its lips when this new album was taking shape, demanding 'more of the same, please'.
And that's what Colvin offers on Whole New You, although that in itself is not such a terrible thing. For the uninitiated, Colvin is of the acoustic singer-songwriter breed, but since super-slick producer John Leventhal took control of the mixing desk a few albums ago, any rawness or spontaneity has given way to a polished, radio-friendly product.
Like her previous work, this album isn't bad, it's just lazy - music by numbers created by someone you suspect may have something original to offer, under the consumer-driven sheen. A few tracks hint at this. Mr Levon has a creepy edge, while One Small Year returns to her folk roots and is pleasant enough. But the title track, with its cringe-worthy chorus ('Go and wish on every star that's fallen/Shake your head in wonder when it's all too good to be true' - ouch) is more indicative of the album as a whole.