23 Comments
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Dave The Scholarship Coach's avatar

I have her ONJ album, and it's a really nice listen.

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Album Cockpit Podcast's avatar

I didn't know this was a thing. Look at the HAPPY FRIDAY you've provided me! Love ya, Kev!

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

That's why I'm here! :)

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Jacqueline Rendell's avatar

18 records!!

Wow!!

For me, she’s way back there with Evan Dando, being a lemonhead. I’m so surprised about this cover album. And I’ll check it- thanks Kevin!!

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Right? When I think of her, that's the era that comes to mind.

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Kristin DeMarr's avatar

What?!?!! I lost track of her after her three solo albums too! I know what I’m listening to today!

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Let me know what you tohught of it!

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Kristin DeMarr's avatar

Omg. This was fantastic! Loved Can’t Stand Losing You, De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da and Every Breath You Take. Roxanne was just missing something- not sure if it was a speed up, but there just wasn’t enough of a variety or shift in the music. It was too like monotone lol 😂 (don’t have quite the music vocabulary). Murder By Numbers was decent too.

But OMG the ONJ album!!! Absolutely going on a playlist for me!

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Glenn Cook's avatar

Agree with you 100%, especially your assessment of The Police tracks. Hatfield's cover albums — she also did one on ELO last year — have been really fun listens. (Making ELO listenable was a feat.)

Her regular stuff post Blake Babies and the first Lemonheads album has been ... fine. I did enjoy the "I Don't Cares" because she somehow managed to get Westerberg out of his basement (metaphorically speaking), and there are several tracks on that album that are in semi-regular rotation.

In your footnote, you mention cover albums with Matthew Sweet. Wasn't that Susanna Hoffs instead of Hatfield?

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Steve Goldberg's avatar

I assumed he meant Susanna Hoffs too. But I can see Matthew and Juliana recording together too!

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Glenn Cook's avatar

So can I.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

YES! Thank you for that. Fixed.

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Rocco Pendola's avatar

You're the best. For a time, as a kid, The Police were my favorite band. I had no idea this existed. More music discovery. I appreciate it!

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Of course!

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Jen Zug's avatar

Thank you for this! I love cover songs, so I’ll be listening to this album today!

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Right on! I hope you like/liked it.

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Thea Wood's avatar

Listening and sharing!

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Thank you, Thea!

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Faith Current's avatar

I have a similar experience with Juliana Hatfield. I discovered her a few years ago, listened to everything she'd released (I like her Olivia album, as Olivia is one of my guilty pleasures, not because of her style, but because I prefer artists who write their own material), and then promptly moved on. Maybe I should go back and listen again.

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Andres's avatar

I like how “organic” some of these versions are. She really made the songs her own

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

Same here. I might've been easier for her to just do faithful covers, but I'm glad she didn't.

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Steve Goldberg's avatar

I've been hit and miss on her solo stuff, but live, she's always been a blast to see perform. I saw her with the Blake Babies way back when and solo at least a half-dozen times. I can't say that I recognize more than 1/3 of the songs when she plays, but she has always incorporated covers in her shows and usually has a top notch band (except when she does solo, which is also awesome). I probably could put together an amazing double album from her solo releases.

I'll be honest and say that I think The Police covers project is the weakest of the three. I like her Olivia Newton John one the best and ELO second.

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Kevin Alexander's avatar

I haven't heard the ELO one yet; I'll have to get on that.

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