Sheryl Crow [ tickets ] was known for catchy pop tunes that contained just enough folk and blues touches to sate even the most jaded listener. Her voice, too, was an instrument of charm--endearing yet weary, sophisticated yet down-home.

Too bad her latest disc, "Wildflower," has none of that old Crow appeal.

Instead, "Wildflower" is mostly an exercise in mid-tempo balladry, complete with a string section and vocals just beyond Crow's comfort zone. The lyrics could have used a second draft, too. "Good is good and bad is bad/You don’t know which one you had," Crow unapologetically sings on "Good is Good." Only on "Live It Up" does she dial into her past successes, but even here it's more effort than result.

On "Lifetimes," she croons, "You say you feel lost/Well I feel lonely too/Even in the worst of times/I give my best to you." Really? Times must be good then.

Maybe that's the problem. The liner notes dedicate "Wildflower" to Crow's high-profile beau: "To Lance with deep love and appreciation. This record is for you." Next time, hopefully, Crow will make an album for the rest of us.