Cyndi Lauper
Detour
(Rhino Records)

You can’t fault successful artists for sticking with their genre of choice through the decades, but Cyndi Lauper has never played it safe. For her 11th studio LP, Lauper has released a collection of old country songs from the likes of Wanda Jackson, Patsy Cline, and Willie Nelson. The album begins with “Funnel of Love,” which Lauper gives a sort of surfer rock vibe to ease the listener into the record. From here, we launch into “Detour,” a duet featuring Emmylou Harris. Between the fiddle and Harris’ presence, it’s impossible to deny that we are in country territory. From here, the mournful ballad “Misty Blue” provides Lauper an opportunity to show off her powerful vocals. The collaborations on this album are really what sets Detour apart from the average covers album. Piano lends “Night Life” a jazzy sound, while Willie Nelson sounds as good as ever on his track. Vince Gill provides the perfect argumentative stance against Lauper on “You’re the Reason Our Kids Are Ugly,” while Jewel revives her yodel on “I Want to Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart.” On “Hard Candy Christmas,” Alison Krauss’ subdued, smooth vocals contrast the edge in Lauper’s voice. There’s a bit too much twang and accordion to convince Cyndi Lauper fans that they should love country if they don’t already like the genre, but the CMT set may gain new respect for the versatile artist for holding her own with a little help from famous friends.