The title
For the Girls
makes plain
Kristin Chenoweth
's intentions for her 2019 album for
Concord
: she's saluting great women singers by covering songs they popularized.
Chenoweth
cherrypicks selections from different genres and eras, sometimes not strictly following her own guidelines.
Eva Cassidy
covered "It Doesn't Matter Anymore" and
Linda Ronstadt
cut "Desperado" in 1973, but it's hard to not to think of the tunes as belonging to anyone but their respective authors,
Buddy Holly
and
the Eagles
. This is hardly much of a flaw, though, especially since both songs belong within the classic modern pop tradition
essays throughout
. She touches upon R&B, country, the Great American Songbook, and girl groups, inviting
Dolly Parton
to duet with her on "I Will Always Love You," singing with
Ariana Grande
on
Lesley Gore
's "You Don't Own Me," and drafting
Jennifer Hudson
Reba McEntire
for a show-stopping "I'm a Woman." It's a diverse roster of singers and songs, but the
Steve Tyrell
production smooths over any rough edges, and
's consummate Broadway professionalism helps the whole record seem unified; it's a modern update on the kind of albums
Barbra Streisand
Dionne Warwick
were making at the twilight of the '60s. The blend of nostalgic vibes and contemporary sheen is appealing, particularly because
never pushes too hard: she's not reinventing the songs, she's relaxing with them, and it makes for a warm bath of a listen. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine