Returning from an extended absence -- she hasn't made an album since 2009's and hasn't seen a record released in the U.S. since 2001's , which was the sequel to her 1997 blockbuster ; a long time gone, in other words -- lands upon an interesting concept for her comeback: take 12 songs written by male singer/songwriters and recast them as feminine. For , this means reviving the hazy focus of her global blockbuster "Torn," a feel created with soft, strummed guitars and clear vocals, a sound that suits a middle-aged singer as comfortably as it does a young one, perhaps even a touch better. Although shamelessly evokes -- the cover itself looks like something of a sequel -- takes pains to show that she's listened to recent music. Not only are there covers of , , and , but she grafts a folk-stomp onto 's "Friday I'm in Love," then gently pushes 's "The Waiting" toward a tapped folk rhythm. Everything is so sweet and light, it's difficult to discern whether 's choice of songs is meant to convey something greater than that these are a bunch of nice tunes. Certainly, the concept of suggests there might be a conceptual undertow to the album -- finding the femininity in masculine writers -- but chooses songs where sexuality is incidental; these are love songs that are easily retooled for the opposite sex. This safety in song selection and production means that certainly doesn't have the bite of ' 2001 album , a record that wears its sexual politics proudly, but has never been an ambitious artist: she's always been a sweet, pleasant crooner and plays to those very strengths. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine