Rodney Crowell swings for the fences on his new album,
Triage — but he does it in a surprisingly unassuming way. Taking on topics including religion, climate change and political and social upheaval, Crowell deftly weaves those ambitious themes into an album that's chock-full of his inimitable brand of lyrical wit, wisdom and a one-of-a-kind observational sensibility about the world, the human race and its foibles.
Standout tracks including "Transient Global Amnesia Blues," "Something Has to Change," "I'm All About Love" and "Hymn #43" (which features Crowell's ex-wife Rosanne Cash, her husband John Leventhal and their son, Jacob Leventhal) ruminate on universal themes. Crowell addresses them in intimate, personal ways, gently probing into issues including greed, apathy and how they impact the world, religion, environmental concerns and the overall arcing question of, just how should we treat each other and the planet? And while the subject matter is inherently difficult, Crowell manages to present it all in a low-key manner, as if to say, "Come on, guys, we can all do better than this."