Track-By-Track album review: Cyndi Lauper - Detour

On May 6, 2016, Cyndi Lauper released her first studio album in six years: Detour. Appropriately named, we see Cyndi taking her career in a new direction with this country album, displaying her versatility as an artist. As a fan of hers, and of country music, I couldn't be happier with the release, which I consider her best in many, many years. She sings covers of old, traditional and iconic country songs, with nods to almost all of the major country queens, and duets with legends of the genre. The album as a whole is pure greatness... I've been listening to it a lot, and decided to share my humble opinion of each song.

Album cover

1. Funnel of Love – When I first heard this song I thought it sounded rather current, and assumed they did so to make the album start off with a more modern feel. But after listening to the original 1961 version by Wanda Jackson, I realized it sounded almost exactly the same and it was just a song ahead of its time. It sounds like it was made for Cyndi Lauper, with a mix of rock and blues that makes for a nostalgic modern sound (I don't know how else to say it). Her voice fits perfectly with the melody and she sounds absolutely flawless. Of all the 12 songs in the album, this is the best possible opener: it's fun and upbeat, and far more commercial than some of the other tracks. It was released as the second single of the album with a stunning music video.

2. Detour (feat. Emmylou Harris)  – The title track of the album is an old western tune from the 1940's. Giving a new sound to such an old song reminded me of  June Carter Cash in her later years, which makes sense since the Carter Family defined the country sound of the 30's and 40's. There is a special place in my heart for Emmylou Harris, who is an extremely talented and respected singer, and I wish she did more than just backing vocals here. Regardless, her voice sounded great harmonizing with Cyndi.

3. Misty Blue  – Classic 1960's girl-singer sad ballad. Originally written for Brenda Lee, who turned it down, the song was made famous by soul singer Dorothy Moore in the 70's. Cyndi made it her own with this fiddle-filled version, with steady drumming accompanying her sorrowful voice, creating a loaded atmosphere. Every good country album must have a few downers, that's rule number one in country music.

4. Walkin' After Midnight – I can't even begin to describe how happy I was to find out Cyndi Lauper was recording my favorite Patsy Cline song! This is one of the greatest country songs of all time, the first major hit for one of the greatest country singers of all time; it's only fitting that Cyndi would include a Patsy Cline classic in the album. It sounds amazing in her voice, she made it sound fresh and personal while keeping it traditional. It's one of the highlights of the album, I'm absolutely in love with this song.

5. Heartaches by the Number – One of those big country songs recorded by everyone from George Jones to Willie Nelson to Waylon Jennings, the singer numbers her heartaches corresponding to the times her lover has hurt her. As sad as the lyrics sound, this is actually an upbeat song, with strong drumming and an occasional fiddle for emphasis. Cyndi even added a bit of twang to her vocals for extra flavor.

6. The End of the World – This is probably the most famous song of the album. It is a cover of the major international hit by Skeeter Davis, which was recorded by countless female singers, country or not. The hopelessness of the lyrics and melody has appealed to melancholic singers such as Karen Carpenter, Agnetha Fältskog and Lana del Rey, and it is only natural that Cyndi Lauper would want to record it as well. Even though she is known for the fun and carefree "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", she has always had a deep emotional and raw side which we see in "True Colors" and "Time After Time". That is the Cyndi we see here, with her sweet and sad voice belting out to the depressing melody. It's simply magical.

7. Night Life (feat. Willie Nelson) – No good country album is complete without Willie Nelson, that has been true since the 1960's. This is one of Willie's biggest songs, written by the man himself, and I'm overjoyed that he agreed to record it with Cyndi as a duet. Unlike Emmylou Harris, Willie actually sings a big part of the song. The blues and jazzy sound pretty much carries both their voices in a smooth and enjoyable way, it's so delicious to hear that we forgive Willie sounding less than his best.


8. Beggin' to You – One of Marty Robbins' many hits, it's a good old sad song. It's a good song, but it gets overlooked due to its placement on the album between two stellar duets. I don't have much to say about it, just that it features beautiful and powerful vocals.

9. You're the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly (feat. Vince Gill) – This song is an homage to one of the most iconic duet partnerships in country history: Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. I love that they chose this funny, tongue-in-cheek song amongst the huge catalog of hits Conway and Loretta had. Humor has always existed in country, I dare say its importance is only second to sad songs, so it's important that such a song made it on Cyndi's album. Vince Gill is everyone's favorite duet partner, I can't think of any major country legend who hasn't sung with him (seriously, I cannot), so his presence on the album is as iconic as Willie Nelson's. They kept the lyrics and dialogue true to the original version, only changing a word or two to make it more fitting to Vince and Cyndi.

10. I Fall to Pieces – Of course, only one Patsy Cline song is not enough, so here is another of her famous hits. It's a rather depressing breakup song, but it is so darn beautiful! Many people have covered it, but few did it justice; Cyndi's version is definitely one of the great ones: she managed to make it sound touching and fresh, while keeping it true to its original version. It makes me so happy to see the legend of Patsy still very much alive in people's minds, even after all these years.

11. I Want to Be a Cowboy's Sweetheart (feat. Jewel) – This song was written and originally recorded by country music pioneer Patsy Montana. Famous for its yodelling, it became the very first million-selling song by a female country artist. Cyndi didn't really yodel, she had Jewel do that instead, and it was a smart move. Cyndi has claimed this song is women empowering because she sings that she wants to be a cowboy's girlfriend, but then never mentions the cowboy again; all she wants is to live the life of a cowboy, and the only way to do that would be by being with one. It's a fun song, and a nod to one of the very first female country stars who opened the doors for generations of women to come.

12. Hard Candy Christmas (feat. Alison Krauss) – Originally from the stage musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, this song was made famous by Dolly Parton when she starred in the musical's movie adaptation. It's about gathering the pieces of your life, considering your options and moving on after the end of an era. Although it has Christmas in the title, it is not exactly a holiday song, so it doesn't feel out of place in an album released in May. It was chosen as the album's first promotional single, released during the holidays in 2015. Alison Krauss has one of the best voices in any genre, she could harmonize with a chainsaw and make it sound good... she definitely sounds great singing with Cyndi, and it is a great way to close an album in a touching note.

Watch the video for "Funnel of Love"

Roxette, Thank you for the Joyride.

Last week I was shocked to read the news that one of my favorite bands in the world, Roxette, was officially ending. Like millions of fans, I was devastated because Roxette means a lot to me. The reason the group decided to call it quits and cancel their Summer tour is Marie Fredriksson’s health, which has been fragile for many years. It is completely understandable and I don’t have the right to complain, we all know that if was up to her she would keep working well into her 100’s. I’ll just take a moment to reflect on all the memories this amazing duo has provided me with.
I first joined the joyride in my teenage years when I still lived in Brazil and my teacher would use Roxette’s Baladas en Espanol to teach us Spanish. I knew many of the songs, as Roxette had hits in South America in the 90’s and early 2000’s, so I asked my teacher to give me a copy of the CD, which she did, and I would listen to it over and over. At the time, I had no internet connection and had no way of searching for more music or more information about the band, and like many people I thought Roxette was in fact Marie’s name. It never crossed my mind that I would one day experience them live, much less meet them! But that is exactly what happened, in 2012, during their Charm School World Tour in Boston (I wrote all about that night in another post).
Roxette has been a huge part of my life for a really long time, being the soundtrack of some of my most memorable moments. Their music and personal history have been incredibly inspirational to me and millions of fans worldwide; it is indeed amazing that Marie decided to keep on singing and touring until she no longer could, I admire her strength and perseverance more than I could ever express. Of course I’m sad to know that I will never see Roxette live again, but there is absolutely no reason to complain. Per and Marie have given me so much, I can’t even dream of asking for more. Their next (and last) album, Good Karma, will come out in June, and I look forward to the album that will be their swansong.
As fans we always want more: another album, another video, another tour, another autograph… but this time I’m at peace with the fact that there will be no more Roxette. Marie’s health should be the most important thing for all fans now, she’s given a lot and it’s time for us to give back. I wish Per and Marie all the best, that she enjoys a long and healthy life with her loved ones, and that he is successful in whatever he decides to focus his genius mind on. The memories of the night I met them are some of the happiest of my life, they are truly priceless and I will forever treasure them. Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson, Thank you for the Joyride.