Sheryl Crow announces album Pick You Up with protest single Freedom Bus

Sheryl Crow has announced her new studio album. Pick You Up is set to arrive on October 9 via the label Old Green Barn and features seven tracks. As a preview of the record, Crow released the single Freedom Bus, a collaboration with American singer songwriter Jesse Welles. The album was written together with her longtime collaborator Jeff Trott.

Freedom Bus can be described as a protest song rooted in the turbulent political and social climate in the United States right now. Crow stated in a press release that she does not take freedom lightly. "I do not take freedom lightly because our freedom has been paid for in the lives of others throughout history and that is something I wish we could all remember when we are interacting with each other. Our dialogue and ability to disagree must reflect what has been paid for in the blood, sweat, and tears of those who fought for every man and woman to be created equal and to enjoy the rights that our constitution has allowed each of us," Crow said.

Jesse Welles is still relatively unknown in the Netherlands, but back home he is considered a promising protest singer in the tradition of singer songwriters like Bob Dylan and Woody Guthrie. The Arkansas native is incredibly prolific, having released as many as ten full length albums since 2024, establishing himself as a fertile voice within American folk and Americana. The vocal interplay between Crow and Welles on Freedom Bus is remarkably well crafted, with a guitar solo and organ in the background that give the song a timeless quality.

Looking at the bigger picture, Pick You Up is about hope and connection. Crow described the album as a commentary on what it means to be human and our longing for closeness. "There is a lot of chaos all around us and I definitely find myself feeling alone. My wish is that whoever hears these songs feels the hope I feel when I sing them. I hope these songs feel like a soothing moisturizer on our chapped hearts. We are all going through so much in our humanity right now that being awake can feel like trudging through a burning desert. But we are never alone. And there is beauty everywhere. We just have to keep our eyes open," she added.

The tracklist for Pick You Up features seven songs: Freight Train, Perfect, Pick You Up, Flat Earth, I've Got Your Number, Heaven Help Us, and closing things out with Freedom Bus featuring Jesse Welles. For fans of Crow's signature blend of rock, country and Americana, this promises to be a welcome return after a period in which she mostly released standalone singles.