(2019) The Medicine Show

Melissa Etheridge calls her 15th studio album The Medicine Show because she's determined to shine a spotlight on healing -- something she believes the culture could use in the year 2019. To that end, Etheridge dials back her emphasis on soul and returns to the roaring arena rock that made her name back in the '80s. That's appropriate. Etheridge designed these 11 songs to be anthems, painting even the quietest moments -- such as the sadly delicate "Here Comes the Pain" -- in broad strokes. These big gestures suit Etheridge's desire to tackle big issues, and the sweep of The Medicine Show does have its charms; in an era of narrowcasting, she throws her net wide, hoping to speak to a vast, diverse audience. Thing is, her music isn't as grand as her ambitions. The only time she breaks from her cavernous arena rock is on "This Human Chain," a deft and welcome bit of mellow disco-soul whose presence winds up underscoring how the rest of the album is bold but familiar; it's a record filled with good intentions but pitched squarely at the faithful converted. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine