Trax
By Bliss 07/22/2010
SHERYL CROW, 100 Miles From Memphis (A&M): (3 stars out of 5)
Crow’s peeps are hustling this as her soul album, but despite horns, popping funk bass and some great old-school-style production, it’s not unlike her rootsy pop — which isn’t bad, just disappointing. Crow has the chops to pull this off, yet her vocals are puzzlingly wan; there’s no soulful smoulder. Keith Richards is wasted on the reggae-flavored “Eye to Eye.” Elsewhere, Crow salutes ’60s/’70s-era soul with topical lyrics, notably the Palin-dissing “Say What You Want To.” Other highlights: Terence Trent D’Arby’s “Sign Your Name” (with Justin Timberlake), “Roses and Moonlight.” sherylcrow.com.
KIRA, Run Where No One Goes (SIN/Sony): (3.5 stars out of 5)
The Danish Grammy winner and Tricky protégée makes a bid for a toehold in the American pop sphere with this mood-rocking EP. A blues-hued, classic rock-influenced set arranged to showcase Kira’s throaty vocal dramatics, it should appeal to Serena Ryder, Grace Potter and PJ Harvey fans. Highlights: “Riders of the Freeway” (purportedly composed while roadtripping through California), “Cold Sweat,” “Save Me.” At Silverlake Lounge Wednesday. kiramusic.com.
STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN AND DOUBLE TROUBLE, Couldn’t Stand the Weather (Legacy): (4.5 stars out of 5)
An artist making a genre-reviving splash with no trickery beyond what’s conjured with sheer musicianship ... it’s inconceivable in 2010’s fashion-forward pop galaxy. Therein lies part of the value of this two-disc reissue of incendiary blues-rock guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan’s 1984 album, which commemorates the 20th anniversary of his death. Connecting blues, rock and jazz, SRV (along with brother Jimmie’s Fabulous Thunderbirds) lead the 1980s blues revival and inspired countless air-guitar shredders. srvofficial.com.
VANISH VALLEY, Vanish Valley (self-released): (4 stars out of 5)
Relocated from Seattle to Los Angeles, Andrew McAllister adopted the nom de musique Vanish Valley and crafted this quiet indie-folk keeper. As with his underappreciated Conrad Ford project, the mood’s sober, whether he’s pledging “I’ll make my spirit travel and bounce off the waves/ Echo from the shore into your graves” over circular steel riffs, or bemusedly noting “When there’s sunshine in your city every tear is the laughing kind.” McAllister plays all instruments on almost all the 13 melodic tracks, enhancing their living room intimacy. vanishvalley.com.
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