Shania Twain – Little Miss Twain
Shania Twain has not needed to prove herself for decades. The Canadian singer has sold more than one hundred million records worldwide and, with “Come On Over” from 1997, is still regarded as the best-selling country artist of all time. After “Queen of Me” from 2023, she now comes with her seventh studio album “Little Miss Twain”, a record that explicitly looks back to her childhood in the Canadian town of Timmins, where she already performed in pubs as a child to support her family.
That autobiographical starting point immediately gives the record its strongest moment. The title track, with a guest contribution from country veteran Tanya Tucker, paints the picture of the young girl Eilleen who is still smaller than her own guitar and dreams of a way out of northern Ontario. The Mellotron and pedal steel give the song a melancholic layer that fits the story well. “Dirty Rosie”, the lead single, also does a solid job, with a playful text about a loved one who is just as unpredictable as the pick-up truck the song is named after.
Where the album is less convincing is in the middle section. Songs such as “Quit My Life” and “Scary Little Thing” fall back on Twain’s familiar recipe from the nineties, with smooth melodies but little textual depth. It is music that is easy to listen to, but that does not always fulfil the promise of a personal and vulnerable album. “New Love” forms a pleasant exception, with a light-hearted beat and warm strings that give the song slightly more direction than the rest of the record. Unfortunately, that feeling is diluted again by the following song, “Down the Middle”, which relies on the same theme without adding anything new.
The collaborations also deliver mixed results. “Take It to the River”, with Ronnie Wood and The War And Treaty, is pleasant to hear, but remains within the familiar paths of soul and country that Twain has already explored more often. “Faded Blue Jeans”, with Josh Homme, is one of the few moments when the album gets an edge, although that edge also remains limited. Producer Zach Dawes generally chooses a polished, smooth production, meaning that the rougher edges the record sometimes promises are largely polished away.
The result is an album that appears more sincere than it ultimately sounds. Twain tells a personal story about her youth and the road to success, but musically largely lets go of that story once the first songs are over. Those looking for the familiar mix of country and pop with which Twain became successful will still receive it, complete with the light-hearted humour that has always characterised her work. Those who hoped for a record that sounds as honest as the story behind it will be somewhat disappointed. “Little Miss Twain” is not a bad record, but it is a missed opportunity to truly continue the nostalgic starting point. (6/10) (Republic Records)
