Product Review

For Sheryl Crow, the title of her seventh album isn't just a location; it's a state of mind. So for the Kennett, Missouri native, calling the disc 100 Miles From Memphis is a statement of purpose, both musical and emotional. It also marks a long-awaited return by the nine-time Grammy winner to the sounds that first drew her to making music. The results evoke a time when soul and passion filled the radio waves, when the sweat and joy of a recording session could be captured forever on wax. Sometimes the musical references--Al Green, Sly and the Family Stone, Stevie Wonder--are made apparent, but the album's 11 songs are characterized more by capturing a classic spirit than by imitating any specific style. Features guest appearances from Keith Richards, Justin Timberlake and Citizen Cope.