New Music : July 20, 2010 - July 26, 2010

Sheryl Crow "100 Miles From Memphis"
Nine-time Grammy winner Sheryl Crow joins that prestigious list of legendary artists who have made the musical pilgrimage to Memphis, Tenn., to inject their sound with smoldering Southern soul. Her seventh album is titled "100 Miles From Memphis" (the distance of her Missouri hometown from the River City), but she isn't wide of the mark; packed with horns and organ, these 12 selections nail the spirit of vintage Stax and Hi Records classics, even when the grooves lean toward other genres (as on the reggae-accented "Eye to Eye"). Justin Timberlake pitches in on a cover of Terence Trent D'Arby's 1988 hit "Sign Your Name," and Jack Johnson joins Crow for a duet on his composition "Sideways." Although the album's vibe is summery, its outlook isn't always sunny. Several of Crow's originals address themes of romance gone awry ("Our Love Is Fading," "Stop"), and she also fires off one stellar political ditty, the pointed "Say What You Want."

Rick Ross "Teflon Don"
Miami might not enjoy the deep musical history of Memphis, but damned if hometown heavyweight Rick Ross doesn't look a lot like Isaac Hayes on the sleeve of his new "Teflon Don." (Coincidentally, the rapper and former corrections officer born William Leonard Roberts II is being sued for appropriating someone else's image and likeness: former L.A. drug lord "Freeway" Ricky Ross.) The follow-up to 2009's "Deeper Than Rap," which bowed on the Billboard charts at No. 1, reunites him with a couple of his previous blockbuster's key producers, J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League and the Inkredibles. The 11 selections also feature a staggering number of guest stars, including Kanye West, Jay-Z, Erykah Badu and a whole lot of other top billings from the hip-hop and R&B scene.

Sky Sailing "An Airplane Carried Me to Bed"
Geography isn't quite as important to Adam Young. He created most of his masterpieces in his parents' Minnesota basement, and found fame via MySpace, which launched his "band" Owl City" to the top of the charts last year, making "Fireflies" a No. 1 smash. Young recently tweeted that there's new Owl City material in the works, but in the interim, he's offering up this collection of songs created under a moniker. (The album is available via digital outlets this week; physical release is scheduled for July 27.) While there are some obvious sonic similarities between the two projects -- most notably Young's winsome, featherweight vocals -- these 12 tunes emphasize acoustic guitar and piano over electronics. And even though the Sky Sailing tunes predate Owl City, going back to 2007, they boast the same melodic sensibility and unthreatening, emo-lite appeal of his better-known venture.

Jonas Brothers " Jonas L.A."
Over on the other side of the country ... the Jonas Brothers recently relocated to Southern California, at least for the fictitious narrative of their sitcom "Jonas L.A." (Careful boys: Remember what happened when "Laverne & Shirley" went West.) The album of the same name collects 13 songs from the Disney Channel hit, including the peppy midtempo tune "Chillin' in the Summertime" and the syntactically confusing but infectious theme song "L.A. Baby (Where Dreams Are Made Of)." As much as we love Kevin, Nick and Joe and their infectious pop-rock, this disc feels like a bit of a throwaway; no amount of enthusiasm can hide how shallow the lyrics of "Feelin' Alive" are. But hey, it's the soundtrack to a sitcom about a boy band living in Los Angeles -- substance and depth probably weren't pressing concerns.

Kristen Hersh "Crooked"
You think the Jonas Brothers have rabid fans? Well Kristin Hersh's may give them a run for the money. The Throwing Muses bandleader may not command a legion of crazed teens like Kevin, Nick and Joe do, but her devotees are incredibly passionate and loyal. The singer-songwriter has been very prescient in how she interacts with them, being at the forefront of social networking, creative commons licenses and alternative economic models for artists. No surprise, then, that her latest solo album, "Crooked," was not only completely fan-financed, but tailored with their assistance. Hersh wrote and demo-ed 20 songs in public, then sought input from the faithful, going so far as to allow them to remix components. The experiment sounds like a huge success: The 10 tunes that made the cut for her ninth studio full-length rank among her finest.

Other New Releases Worth Checking Out:
(Have not listened to, but please feel free to post a review)

• Kristin Hersh: "Crooked" 
• Ry Cuming: "Self Titled" 
• School of Seven Bells: "Disconnect From Desire" 
• Big Head Todd & The Monsters "Rocksteady"