Under The Covers, Vol. 1
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Free Music Notes for Under The Covers, Vol. 1
Free Music Review: Susanna Hoff's best work by far
Hit: 5 Stars
Hoffs and Matthew Sweet are clearly having a whopping good time with this album of covers from the 60's which includes well-known and not so well-known songs. The song selection offers an intriguing mixing of obvious choices such as "Monday, Monday" with surprises like the Beatles' rarely played guitar masterpiece, "And Your Bird Can Sing." The arrangments are slavish to the originals, but the material is played and sung with more than enough gusto to compensate for the lack of originality. Hoffs' voice shows a surprising vigor not evident in her Bangles work, especially on "Different Drum" on which she goes toe-to-toe with the original version by the Stone Ponys featuring the classic vocal from a young Linda Ronstadt (although Hoffs' version does lack the charm of the distinctive Southern twang of Ronstadt's voice). Hoffs' voice is well complimented by Sweets', and the two provide some surprising harmonizing on songs like "Different Drum. This is a feel good album if there ever was one and as such it delivers the goods.Free Music Review: Sugar is Sweet
Hit: 5 Stars
If you love Susanna Hoff's wonderfully sugary voice, then this is for you. While I enjoyed the Bangles' last effort, "Doll Revolution," there was not enough Susanna for me -- could there ever be! This is not to downplay the vocal and instrumental offerings of the other side of Sugar, Matthew Sweet -- indeed, Sweet adds some much needed punch that I think was lacking from Susanna's solo efforts. This is a true team effort. Great material and a joy to listen to, over and over!Free Music Review: Good Clean Fun
Hit: 3 Stars
Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs are two of my favorite pop artists. Sweet's 1990 album "Girlfriend" was one of the most near-perfect pop-rock albums ever, and Hoffs led the Bangles to a string of enjoyable hits in the 80's. Their music owes a lot to 60's pop, and here they've teamed up to pay homage to some classics and forgotten gems of that era, under the pretense of a boy/girl pop duo with the moniker "Sid and Susie". Their sweet-sunny vocals seem perfectly suited to most of the material they cover, and their harmonies and musicianship are quite capable. Still, as with so many cover projects, several of the tunes leave you with the question, "Why did they bother?" Probably the best tracks are the less-familiar ones: "I See the Rain" (originally by Marmalade), and "Care of Cell #44" (The Zombies), for instance, are easier to enjoy without a point of reference. "She May Call You Up Tonight" (The Left Banke) sounds tailor-made for Hoffs - in fact, it would have been a perfect cover for the Bangles. (And Ms. Hoffs, by the way, still looks as petite-foxy as ever.) "Who Knows Where the Time Goes" (Sandy Denny) is an enjoyable version of the classic folk-rock tune, at least until the embellished, swirly ending. "Alone Again Or" (Love) misses the technically brilliant flamenco-style guitar of the original. "Cinnamon Girl" (Neil Young) and "Different Drum" (Linda Ronstadt/Stone Ponies) are literal interpretations but done very well. As for "And Your Bird Can Sing" (Beatles) and "Monday Monday" (The Mamas and the Papas) - well, they fall firmly into the "why bother?" category, as they don't approach the perfection of the originals. It's all a fun and effective exercise in nostalgia, and it's gorgeously produced, if overdone in spots, but if you love the originals, nothing here will make you misplace your affections.
Free Music Review: this stinks!
Hit: 1 Stars
Matthew Sweet by himself is good. "Girlfriend" is a classic cd. Suzanna Hoff is many years past her prime and the Bangles were...okay.
This cd is bad. The versions are week and detract from the original songs. Sweet and Hoffs have no synergy. Why are they even together? They add nothing to these songs and simply sound like a wedding band doing covers.
Did you see them on the talk shows (Conan, Leno). They were horrible!
If Matthew Sweet doesn't lose weight, he may not be able to ever get a "Girlfriend".
This seems like a desperate attempt to make money. A better covers cd is the Def Leopard one.
Free Music Review: Who Knows Where the Credit Goes?
Hit: 3 Stars
In fairness, it must be pointed out that the credit for track 4, "Who Knows Where the Time Goes," is entirely incorrect. This song was first recorded by Sandy Denny when she was with The Strawbs, and that version remains definitive. Our judges would therefore accept Sandy Denny or The Strawbs as a correct response. Listing Fairport Convention is like saying "Lady Madonna" originated with Wings.