On her new studio album, Little Miss Twain (out July 24 on Republic Nashville), Shania Twain offers up vivid storylines and revisits some of the defining moments that marked her ascent to one of country music’s most impactful female stars.
Throughout the new project, the five-time Grammy winner is in reflective mode, taking listeners into memories from her childhood growing up in Ontario, Canada, and into her youthful ambitions of leaving Canada in search of musical stardom in Nashville. Twain’s road to Music City was marked by both tragedy and hardships, including the deaths of her parents in a car accident in 1987, and the ensuing necessity of raising her three younger siblings. On the autobiographical Little Miss Twain, songs such as “Northern Town” and the title track pull back the curtain on some of her passage.
Twain’s 1995 sophomore album, The Woman in Me, skyrocketed her popularity, becoming the first of three consecutive albums by Twain to be certified Diamond by the RIAA. Her 1997 blockbuster Come on Over became one of the best-selling albums of all time and spawned three top 10 hits on the Billboard Hot 100: “You’re Still the One,” “That Don’t Impress Me Much” and “From This Moment On.” Recently, the country legend checked off another long-held career ambition, playing at the Toronto-area, approximately 500-capacity The Horseshoe Tavern — a gig that had eluded Twain as a child first making her way in the industry.
Beyond songs that revisit her career progression, Little Miss Twain is filled with songs of love and heartbreak, as well as more light-hearted fare. Twain also has some help on the album, courtesy of guest artists as wide-ranging as The War and Treaty, Tanya Tucker and Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme.
Twain’s new album doubles down on the songwriting that has been at the heart of her biggest hits and deepest album cuts over the years, while still weaving together elements of country, pop, soul and rock in a way that has become her signature. Below, Billboard ranks all 15 tracks on the album.
-
“Problematic”
Twain adopts a slower pace on this sultry track, though the groove proves a bit sluggish and seems to weigh down the impact of her breathy vocal.
-
“Down the Middle”
One of the most traditional country-leaning songs on the project, this track finds Twain singing of being overwhelmed and happy with a new love. Twangy guitars and vigorous bass spearhead the track, though it gets weighed down eventually by a repetitive chorus.
-
“Scary Little Thing”
Twain blends a catchy melody, bright piano, and robust horns for this pop-country confection about a love-scarred person who’s reluctant jump into a potential new romance. “The ash is still warm from the last time I got burned,” she sings. Overall, the song comes across as pleasant, but unremarkable compared to some other songs on the project.
-
“That’s the Money”
Like a few songs on the album, this breezy anthem is soaked in positivity, advocating for casting off worries and instead focusing on any number of sunny aspects of life. “That’s what I do when I don’t know what to do…I just don’t overthink it,” she sings, bolstered by the polished brand of country-pop that has become her musical calling card over the years.
-
“Right Time”
This sunny track finds Twain singing of relishing being free from toxic romance. Joyous backing vocals, piercing piano and island-inspired instrumentals only add to the song’s feeling of freedom. Meanwhile, Twain’s approach to half talking, half singing fits her laid-back vocal well, and she infuses this pleasant outing with the classic pep that she’s known for.
-
“New Love”
This jangly, acoustic-driven track reminisces about the early days of a fledgling romance. Layers of harmonies, soulful percussion, shades of doo-wop and sweeping strings surround Twain’s gritty voice, making this a breezy bop.
-
“Quit My Life”
Twain revels in this harmonica-driven, upbeat anthem about taking a triumphant time off from the daily grind. She sings of intending to keep her music playing at top volume and indulging in some top-shelf drinks “for nobody but myself.” Overall, this makes for a punchy, positive track worth repeated listens.
-
“Northern Town”
Slow, classical guitar immediately signals this song’s reflective vibe. Twain delivers one of her strongest, most affecting vocals of the project on this touching track, reminiscing about growing up in a close-knit town in Canada, and how she misses loved ones who are no longer there.
-
“Rockstars”
Moody and understated, a mesh of hushed vocals and hazy production lend a smoky feel as Twain again builds on imagery of life growing up in the far North, with teen years filled with fast cars on rural roads, and winters that quickly coat the rivers and trees with a sheen of white snow and ice. The song’s unhurried feel makes for a nice vocal match here.
-
“Stranger Things”
Twain again dips slightly into a more traditional country-flavored track here, in a pleasant ode to unanticipated romance. “Stranger things have happened underneath the midnight sun,” she sings, her voice never overpowering the song, while the soaring backing vocals, smooth bass lines and steady guitars all blend to make an elegant outing.
-
“Dirty Rosie”
The first single from Twain’s new album, this jaunty, danceable anthem brims with flirty confidence, as Twain brings a dance-floor worthy groove and searing guitars to a track about allowing a lover to drive her crazy and even drive her Mercedes, before stipulating a non-negotiable: he can’t drive her truck. A polished, fun and uptempo groove makes this wonderfully enjoyable.
-
“Faded Blue Jeans” (feat. Josh Homme)
Twain offers up an unexpected collaboration with Queens of the Stone Age frontman Josh Homme here, melding elements of country and rock on a song that’s laced with banjo and bluesy guitar riffs. Twain and Homme link their voices, as Twain sings of a love that has been part of her life as long as the faded blue jeans she’s had since age 17. The texture in their voices, paired with burly drums and precise fiddle, make this one of the album’s more enticing tracks.
-
“I’d Be Loving Me”
“If you were me, how would it feel if you loved a liar and a cheat?” Twain sings, delivering this stinging ballad with achingly blunt force. The song centers on betrayal and the ensuing struggle between relational redemption and choosing to walk away. Twain wraps the lyrics in a vocal delivery that expertly flows from smooth, yearning highs to grainy, weathered lows, giving the song’s sharp lyrics even more emotional depth.
-
“Take It to the River” (feat. The War and Treaty and Ronnie Wood)
Twain joins forces with The War and Treaty and Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, delving into full-fledged gospel jam session territory on this tender track. “I lost track all the times we almost said goodbye,” Twain sings, as the song ultimately centers on a love that endures past the obstacles and near-broken moments. Swells of vocals and a gently swaying rhythm make this a standout track on the project.
-
“Little Miss Twain” (feat. Tanya Tucker)
Country Music Hall of Famer Tanya Tucker joins Twain on the album’s title track, an ode to Twain’s childhood dreams and the unyielding support of her mother. The song’s pared-back instrumentation puts some of the album’s most vivid stories at its center, as Twain recalls being “smaller than my guitar” when her mother would load up her in an old Chevy and take her to sing in tiny venues, all the while championing her that she would be “the next Tanya Tucker.” That Tucker joins Twain on the song as a peer underscores Twain’s full-circle moment of rising from starry-eyed dreamer to hitmaker and concert headliner.
Get weekly rundowns straight to your inbox
Sign Up
