Friday, May 23, 2008 - All hail the queen! - Donna Summer is back!

Donna Summer has broken the stereotypical comeback routine...  Why? Because for some time now, record companies have lazily saddled established artists -- black female singers, in particular -- with "covers" projects. Diana Ross, Natalie Cole, Gladys Knight, Patti LaBelle, and Vanessa Williams have all released albums comprised of well-known songs already emblazoned in the minds of listeners by other artists. While some efforts certainly succeed more than others, the trend bespeaks a lack of creativity from record labels.

When Donna Summer was approached by Burgundy Records to record an album, she declined the inevitable "standards"-type project they suggested. Instead, Summer played a song for executives that she co-wrote with Lester Mendez and Wayne Hector, the haunting "Be Myself Again." Based on that one song, Burgundy decided that an entire album of Summer's compositions would be a more interesting and creative enterprise than yet another "heard-it-all-before-cover-album. "

Crayons is particularly special since Donna Summer hasn't released an album of original material since 1991, the sorely under-promoted Mistaken Identity. 

Not only does Crayons remind listeners about the thrill of discovering a brand new song, it's among the very best albums of Summer's four-decade career. Like Four Seasons of Love (1976), I Remember Yesterday (1977), Once Upon a Time (1977), Bad Girls (1979), and The Wanderer (1980), a theme encapsulates Crayons. The diversity of styles on the album is like a box of different colored crayons. From the spicy samba of "Drivin' Down Brazil" to the bayou twang of "Slide Over Backwards," the album emphasizes Summer's versatility as a singer and songwriter. Always one to take a creative risk, she successfully weaves together the disparate styles.

Crayons opens with the anthemic "Stamp Your Feet." The song highlights the various contours and textures of Donna Summer's voice while furnishing one of the more fierce grooves on the album. Even before Summer utters an actual word, her trademark timbre beckons. "Whoa-oah/Hey-yea-eah," she intones. Her voice is like a fine wine; its body grows more rich and full with time.

Summer enlisted songwriters Greg Kurstin (Pink, Lily Allen) and Danielle Brisebois (Natasha Bedingfield, New Radicals) for "Stamp Your Feet" and two stylistically adventurous outings, the title track and "Drivin' Down Brazil." The former features an infectious reggae-derived rhythm, which bounces underneath the refrain, "We're crayons melting in the sunshine."  With a guest appearance by Ziggy Marley, "Crayons" is an exuberant celebration of different cultures, standing as a unique addition to Summer's repertoire.

Donna Summer deserves a vociferous round of applause for staying true to her artistry on Crayons. Her first album of new material in 17 years honors her legacy while unveiling other facets of her creativity.