For Detours, Crow's sixth studio album, her lyrical concerns include both the personal - that breast cancer diagnosis, the Armstrong break-up and the adoption of a baby boy - and the political, which ranges from the Iraq Ward, the price of oil, the aftermath of 9/11, tensions in the Middle East and the Bush Administration's reaction to Hurricane Katrina. Without giving too much away, it's safe to say she won't be voting for John McCain in the forthcoming Presidential election.

Happily though, this is no humourless, hectoring polemic. Indeed, the return of Tuesday Night Music Club producer Bill Botrell signals a return to the sunny, feel-good country-rock that made her name. It's certainly a million miles away from the maudlin ballads of Crow's previous album Wildflower.

The spirit of Bob Dylan hangs heavy over Detours, most explicitly on opening track God Bless This Mess. With just an acoustic guitar for company, Crow sounds almost lo-fi here, leaving the listener to focus on the skillfully written lyrics, which take in a soldier returning from Iraq, the loss of any kind of community spirit, and a President who "spoke words of comfort with teardrops in his eyes, then he led us a nation into a war built on lies". Remind you of anyone?

The demo-like quality of God Bless This Mess may catch some listeners off-guard, but following tracks Shine Over Babylon and Love Is Free get us firmly back on familiar Crow territory. The latter is especially catchy, possessing one of those nagging choruses that Crow does so well. It sounds so sunny and optimistic that it takes a couple of listens to realise that it's about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Not everything works of course. Gasoline has some terribly cliched lyrics (including mention of London suffering "sweltering heat, and the gangs of Mini Coopers took the battle to the streets") which is a shame as the bluesey drawl is a nice counterpart to the flashes of anger about "bastards in Washington afraid of popping that greed vein". Much better is Motivation, a scathing attack on privileged 'It-girls' set to one of Crow's most addictive melodies.

Crow doesn't always focus on the political during Detours - the title track is a shimmeringly lovely ballad filled with vulnerability and sweetness, while Make It Go Away is a poignant account of Crow's cancer battle. Diamond Ring is less successful, an ode to ex-fiance Armstrong which is spoilt by a caterwauling screech of a chorus - presumably it's meant to be cathartic for Crow but it just ends up hurting the listener's ears.

Detours may not be the most musically edgy album you'll listen to this year, but there aren't many people better at producing radio-friendly rock/pop. Unlike her contemporaries, Crow isn't afraid to hide some biting observations inside these seemingly innocuous little pop nuggets. For that alone, she should be applauded.

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Mercury Prize 2009 nominees