Shania Twain Up (Universal) For any reasonably discerning listener, the notion of country/rock and pop fusion shouldn't rankle too much. A few tracks into Shania Twain's latest offering, however, makes you realise these styles can make as easy bedfellows as, say, Steve Earle and Elton John. And nowhere is that more abundantly clear than on the opening, title track, a dance thumper you could imagine Britney Spears banging out in a Las Vegas casino in the 2030s, and I'm Gonna Getcha Good (add that to a 50-something Spears' playlist), but I suppose white trash America occasionally needs something new to line-dance to. The style shifts again for Juanita, a tedious calypso romp. And by the time you reach the R&B-flavoured Ain't No Particular Way you realise this two-disc excursion is a sort of jukebox that nods at many styles but will surely satisfy no one. There are partially redeeming moments - the slick ballad I'm Jealous retains a seductive ebb despite its lavishly slick production - but Up simply reminds you of that strange conundrum: singers such as Twain and Celine Dion may be among the most successful female recording artists of today, but how many people do you know who owns one of their CDs, or at least admits to it?
