Susanna Hoffs:
Under the Covers, Vol. 2
- Rock/Pop
- 2009
- Buy the CD
Reviewed by Lee Zimmerman
The duo’s first joint venture, Under the Covers, Vol. 1, demonstrated how two gifted artists, firmly committed to rejoicing in their roots, could revel in and revive a musical form that too often tends to be shrugged off as banal and insignificant by those mistaking pop for pap because somehow it lacks high-minded precepts or fails to rise to the level of heavy-handed, high-minded proselytizing. Then as now, their song choices speak volumes, and while they render them with the faithful grace that only true devotees could muster, it’s their obvious dedication to the material at hand – and particularly the artists that recorded it originally – that shines through. It makes the liner notes well worth reading, not only to discern who played what – although that’s meaningful too when you’ve coerced Steve Howe to help cover Yes’ "I’ve Seen All Good People/Your Move/Good People" medley, Lindsey Buckingham to guest on Fleetwood Mac’s "Second Hand News," and Dhani Harrison to help give reverent grace to a version of his dad’s "Beware of Darkness" – but also to appreciate how much these songs influenced Sweet and Hoffs’ individual progression as artists and champions of the form. It certainly doesn’t get more indelible than that.
Ultimately, though, it’s the subtle touches that elevate each entry. They manifest in the role-switching that finds Hoffs taking the traditional male lead in lamenting "Bell Bottom Blues," affecting the road-weary trucker in "Willin’" or replaying Rod Stewart’s raspy vocal in honoring adolescence via "Maggie May." It’s also apparent in Sweet’s gritty revival of John Lennon’s urgent and anthemic "Gimme Some Truth," and the sheer exhilaration with which he celebrates the sexual liberation that echoes through Eric Carmen’s unmistakable ode to shagging, "Go All the Way." And while most of these songs reveal themselves though a familiar opening riff, there’s also no denying the joy of rediscovery and the flood of emotion that accompanies each well-worn stanza. Anyone who doubts the resonance and resilience of timeless rock ‘n’ roll need only give a listen.
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