Album: Sheryl Crow,100 Miles from Memphis (Polydor)

Andy Gill
Friday 16 July 2010 00:00 BST
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

100 Miles from Memphis heralds a shift in Sheryl Crow's approach, from bland country-tinged singer-songwriter to blue-eyed soul diva, a move she struggles to carry off with any conviction.

It's one thing to get heavy friends like Keith Richards and Justin Timberlake in to add their guitar and backing vocals respectively to the ersatz reggae tune "Eye to Eye", and a passable cover of Terence Trent D'Arby's "Sign Your Name", but soul music is primarily a matter of vocal excavation of emotion, and Sheryl's equipment is far too puny for the job in hand. Tracks like "Our Love Is Fading" and the single "Summer Day" have the requisite Willie Mitchell-esque arrangements nailed down, but the pitch-perfect cover of "I Want You Back" ironically pinpoints the problem: her singing is so thin it sounds like a boy whose voice has yet to break.

DOWNLOAD THIS Our Love Is Fading; Summer Day

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in