The title and sound of
100 Miles from Memphis can’t help but recall
Dusty in Memphis,
Dusty Springfield’s 1969 blue-eyed soul classic, but
Sheryl Crow’s 2010 album isn’t quite a strict homage to
Dusty.
Crow draws from many of the same ‘60s sources as
Springfield, but she also dabbles in reggae (thanks to the chunky guitar of
Keith Richards on “Eye to Eye”) and digs into the cool, seductive ‘70s groove of Hi, channeling
Al Green on a sleek reworking of
Terence Trent D’Arby’s “Sign Your Name,” complete with support from Justin Timberlake. Add to this the extended funk coda of “Roses and Moonlight,” the hippie singalong of “Long Road Home” and one of
Crow’s signature good-time social-conscious raising anthems in “Say What You Want” and
100 Miles from Memphis boasts a considerably more expansive palette than
Dusty in Memphis, yet it’s all bonded by its smooth, soulful groove due in part to the co-production from
Doyle Bramhall II and
Justin Stanley. This pair gives
100 Miles a sound that’s recognizably Southern yet has a distinctly sunny vibe not too far removed from
Crow’s sun-kissed debut
Tuesday Night Music Club, of which this shares a similar spirit, if not sensibility.
Tuesday Night Music Club is loose and open where this is focused and sustained, maintaining its charming, relaxed groove from beginning to end. There’s an ease to this record that’s not often heard on
Sheryl Crow’s albums and its light touch is thoroughly appealing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine