Billboard CD reviews: Sheryl Crow, Sarah McLachlan

Singer Christina Aguilera performs the national anthem before the Los Angeles Lakers play the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the 2010 NBA Finals basketball series in Los Angeles, California, June 17, 2010.

ARTIST: SHERYL CROW

ALBUM: 100 MILES FROM MEMPHIS

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Sheryl Crow's hometown of Kennett, Missouri, is indeed 100 miles from Memphis. So she comes by the soul flavor of her latest album honestly. After the understandably dour countenance of 2008's "Detours," "100 Miles From Memphis" finds Crow in a decidedly liberated and celebratory mind frame, stirring the sensibilities of the Stax, Motown and Hi empires into her own hybrid. These styles are reflected in the soaring sonic joy of "Summer Day," "Peaceful Feeling" and "Our Love Is Fading," as well as the funky slink of "Roses and Moonlight," the rootsy gospel testimony of "Long Road Home" and the smooth Al Green references in "Sign Your Name" (featuring Justin Timberlake on backing vocals). Keith Richards brings extra swagger to the reggaefied "Eye to Eye," while Citizen Cope provides an effective counterpoint to the aching "Sideways." The track "Say What You Want" injects some political thought into the otherwise soul-baring set. A tendency to let the songs run too long notwithstanding, this "100 Miles" is a path Crow was certainly wise to tread.

ARTIST: SARAH MCLACHLAN

ALBUM: LAWS OF ILLUSION (Arista Records)

"Here I go again," Sarah McLachlan sings on "Illusions of Bliss." And though the song describes the singer's inability to resist a doomed romance, she might just as easily be referring to her music. "Laws of Illusion" is McLachlan's first studio album in seven years, but it picks up where 2003's "Afterglow" left off. That means lushly produced midtempo ballads full of atmospheric keyboard textures, dreamy vocal melodies and introspective lyrics about shooting stars, hopeful hearts and waltzing through the waves. "Loving You Is Easy," the set's relatively jaunty lead single, puts some pep in its piano-pop step. But cuts like the mournful "Forgiveness" and the mellow "U Want Me 2" (the latter featured on McLachlan's 2008 hits collection) cook at a decidedly lower temperature that longtime fans will find plenty hot. Their quieter pace, though, might leave others a little cold.

ARTIST: THE GASLIGHT ANTHEM

ALBUM: AMERICAN SLANG (SideOneDummy Records)

The Gaslight Anthem makes music for the red-blooded and blue-collared. And on its newest album, "American Slang" (the follow-up to 2008's critically acclaimed "The '59 Sound"), the group spit-shines its soundtrack for working-class America. Cuts like the title track and "The Spirit of Jazz" coat the band's near-perfected formula -- part stomping beats, part slick riffs and a healthy serving of singer Brian Fallon's undeniably Bruce Springsteen-esque howls -- with glossier production. But that's not all the band has to offer. The plucky guitar parts on "The Queen of Lower Chelsea" drip with influence from Modest Mouse and the Cure, and the closing "We Did It When We Were Young" is smoky and soulful. The song "Boxer" begins with choppy, muted guitar that encourages hip shaking, and although it gives way to wailing licks and punk-flavored chords, the drums keep the feel alive. On "The Diamond Street Church Choir," Fallon asks with his unmistakable Bruce-like tremor, "Who does it better than we do?" The answer? No one, except maybe the Boss himself.

ARTIST: DRAKE

ALBUM: THANK ME LATER (Aspire/Young Money/Cash Money/Universal Motown)

Toronto MC Drake has said that he wants fans to feel the different layers of his debut, "Thank Me Later." From the sounds of it, he's held little back, sharing with listeners his deepest thoughts on family, women and fame. Over a thumping bass line on the opening track, "Fireworks" (featuring Alicia Keys), Drake reflects on his relationships with label chief/rapper Lil Wayne, Rihanna and his divorced parents. Accompanied by a slinky piano on the song "The Resistance," Drizzy addresses the idea that fame has changed him, while he swaps verses with rapper Nicki Minaj on "Up All Night." Another standout track is "Miss Me" (featuring Lil Wayne), where Drake professes his love for Minaj.

ARTIST: PUNCH BROTHERS

ALBUM: ANTIFOGMATIC (Nonesuch Records)

Singer/mandolinist Chris Thile is best known as a member of progressive bluegrass band Nickel Creek, which is on indefinite hiatus. His new band, Punch Brothers, is building a case for bigger fame with the release of its second album, "Antifogmatic." The set includes rowdy, raucous tunes -- the foot-stomping "Rye Whiskey" needs only a washboard to sound like it's from an old-time revue -- as well as contemporary takes on the traditional genre. Accompanied by playful string instrumentation, "You Are" is a saucy ode to giving in to a lover's temptation, while a wistful fiddle solo on "Missy" adds a touch of melancholy to the album. Closing song "This Is the Song (Good Luck)" combines gentle harmonies with Thile's uplifting lyrics ("We'll get by/Good luck/These are tough times"), proving that the group has heart as well as punch.

ARTIST: THE LIKE

ALBUM: RELEASE ME (Downtown Records)

Los Angeles-based rock group the Like takes a decidedly retro approach on its second album, "Release Me," the follow-up to 2005's "Are You Thinking What I'm Thinking?" In addition to recording in analog with gear from the '60s, the band employs girl-group melodies over a slew of vintage musical influences. Menacing organs ("Don't Make a Sound," "Wishing He Was Dead") and slinky bass ("Narcissus in a Red Dress") channel the psychedelic and sexually charged vibe of the '60s, while "Catch Me If You Can" showcases the Like's sugary pop sensibilities. With its Motown feel, the title track finds singer Elizabeth "Z" Berg crooning about love gone wrong ("I wish you knew I'm not the one for you/You're not the one I need/And I can't stand you") over a harmonized chorus of "ooh's" from her female bandmates, but the vocals don't go down as smoothly as the Supremes. It's on the standout cut "I Can See It in Your Eyes" where Berg settles into her most comfortable range and the group does its most believable impression of the Animals.

ARTIST: FOALS

ALBUM: TOTAL LIFE FOREVER (Sub Pop Records)

In an indie-rock music scene that's arguably overloaded with Brit rock and bands named after animals, one would think that British five-piece Foals (which falls into both categories) wouldn't stand a chance. But the group, which is already highly regarded across the pond, aims to make waves stateside with second album "Total Life Forever." To achieve this, it sticks to the same brand of prog/math rock heard on 2008's "Antidotes." Heavily processed drums offset delicate guitar riffs on the track "Alabaster," and "This Orient" uses a poppy guitar pattern before launching into an atmospheric shoegaze-inspired chorus. The band takes a different approach with the song "Miami," which features stuttering percussion and droning synths. But the shimmery guitars and thundering rhythms of album closer "What Remains" show that Foals does best when sticking to its own math rock genre.