Last week, Sheryl Crow released her latest CD, Detours. The album’s something of a homecoming for Crow, who reunited with Tuesday Night Music Club producer Bill Bottrell. (Not long after the success of that disc, the two had a falling out over where the credit properly belonged.)

Detours is both a political and personal album for Crow. Last fall’s preview single “Shine Over Babylon” addressed global warming, but that was just the tip of the rapidly-melting iceberg. Consider “God Bless This Mess,” in which Crow laments a “war based on lies.” The perspective narrows with songs inspired by the end of her “tour de amour” with champion cyclist Lance Armstrong (“Diamond Ring”); a battle with breast cancer (“Make It Go Away”); and new motherhood (“Lullaby For Wyatt”).

But while the subject matter may get heavy at times, the music isn’t (likely due to Bottrell being behind the board again). Case in point: “Love Is Free,” Crow’s catchy current single, inspired by the people of New Orleans. “You can see it in their eyes that they aren’t going to give up, they’re going to rebuild,” she recently said. Check out the video here:

Gotta give my February 11 sister some birthday love, too: Sheryl turns 46 today.