American Girl

American Girl

Nothing from Juice Newton's first album in a decade is ever quite as strong as her signature hits ("Angel of the Morning," "Queen of Hearts"), but no mind. Always heartfelt and powerfully sung, the never-less-than-charming <I>American Girl</I> brings Newton back home to the rocking country-pop blend that made her an '80s radio fixture. Roots rockers like "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" are tailor-made for Newton, so, predictably, her husky vocal discovers something more, well, crazy in its lyrics than Queen and Dwight Yoakam do in their campier versions. Her impressive "Love Hurts" borrows heavily from Nazareth's power-ballad approach but still manages a decidedly rootsy feel. In fact, whether doing rockabilly or Nashville Sound, big-band swing or honky-tonk, Newton proves she's a convincing interpreter of all sorts of American roots music. And more contemporary music too--as in the E-Street Band drama of the title track, which lets this former Jersey Girl bring it all back home indeed. <I>--David Cantwell</I>