This is not likely the Sheryl Crow that you know, and to be honest, with the first two tracks I was wishing that it was. But by the end of the disc I was wishing that it was twice as long. I'm amazed at how authentic it sounds. It's as if Marvin Gaye himself was sitting behind the board dictating the production. This set has a few covers (which are undeniably great) but this disc is mostly SC-penned tunes--displaying another facet of her brilliant writing (except when she's overtly political--I'm not really into all of that. And there are tinges of this here but I have to make her that allowance since Soul and R&B, which she deftly re-creates, has always had socio-political elements. See MG's "What's Goin' On" for an example). But I was really shocked by her performance. I know that she can write and I know that really good writers can cross genre lines successfully but I wasn't prepared to her her sound so soulful. Think cool-Joss Stone minus vocal acrobatics. I'm now hoping that SC will do a live disc of about 20 such songs. I love her "standard" fare but this is "a happy surprise." And as far as the first two tracks, it's not that they're not good, it's simply that I wasn't ready--or willing--to hear 100 Miles until she delivered her take on Terence Trent D'Arby's "Sign Your Name." Simply incredible and satisfying. The rest... well, if you like the groove of Soul, believe me, Crow has your number.

Bottom line: If you like late-60s-Early 70s Soul and R&B, and you can set aside what you think Sheryl Crow is or can do, then you can love this album (yes, album because it belongs to that era). Other artists may do soul songs but SC DOES soul. Hearing is believing.

i am a big fan....but like many of her fans I like the more "rock" side of sheryl. songs like "if it makes you happy" and "steve mcqueen" are the ones I like best.

with this album you find very little rock...it's pretty laid back, soulful and peaceful. it does not in any way mean that it's bad. like many artists sheryl is evolving and experimenting.....for me as a fan I like her earlier stuff best but this album is far from bad. i can recognize that the songs are good songs but just not what i prefer most of the time.

so if you buy it expecting it to sound like her older stuff you will not get it....if you buy it with the understanding that she is experimenting a bit and the songs are a bit more laid back then you will have a good chance of enjoying it.

On her soulful, hook-laden new album, Sheryl Crow turns the fun factor WAAAY up. I loved Sheryl's last few albums as well. What can I say, Ive been a fan for a long time, but they were musically heavy, sometimes overpolitical, but nonetheless great, but she really loosens up on "100 Miles From Memphis". There's not a bad track on this jamming summer album. Even the one song with political overtones, "Say What You Want" manages to rock out. There is also quite a depth to this seemingly breezy album. Sheryl has always surrounded herself with great musicians and singers, and she really pulls it together nicely here creating a seemless soulful vibe throughout the whole record. Some of the songs like "Peaceful Feeling" sound like summer block parties within themselves. The slower tracks still convey the emotional punch we've come to expect from Sheryl.

"Summer Day" is the best single she's released in years. I find myself hitting the repeat button on this one. This is the kind of song that should be at the top of the charts instead of garbage like Lady Gaga and Katy Perry. Adults and younger people that appreciate good music might actually want to listen to radio again if a song like this were #1. I can't say enough about this wonderful record except to say thank you Sheryl for giving us another summer of great music.

My only complaint is that it's not available on vinyl.

I'll keep this short. Sheryl brings it with a CD full of soulful jams. I especially am digging "Roses and Midnight", it reminds of me something the Pointer Sisters would have done when they were doing their funky, experimental stuff on the Blue Thumb label. Her version of "I Want You Back", well it just makes me smile. Somethings you shouldn't mess with and she didn't change this up a bit. Did she improve upon the original? No, but that wasn't the point, it's an homage. Love the single "Summer Day" and the title track is another good one. Love it!

I finally got around to buying this CD. I don't buy CD's very much any more; there are only a few artists whom I like enough to do so. Sheryl is one of them. However, this CD seems like a mis-step on her part. If I want to listen to Memphis or the blues, Sheryl is not the person whom I think of to accomplish this. While I can appreciate that she's got the financial wherewithal to pursue fun projects, she just isn't good at this genre. She is good at making hooky, fun, interesting pop music. That's what I buy a Sheryl Crow record for. This probably won't get very many future listens on my CD player.