Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs -- Under the Covers Vol. 1

Holy cow, did Matthew Sweet get chunky! It hasn't affected his musical sensibilities, however, as he teams up with old friend, The Bangles' Susanna Hoffs. Not surprisingly, given their retro-influenced original output, these two have always been fans of '60s Pop, so they decided to record an album of relatively obscure and hit tracks by otherwise well-known acts from that decade. The results are impressive. Alternating lead and backing vocals, the two give us wonderful renditions of The Beach Boys' "Warmth of the Sun," The Velvet Underground's "Sunday Morning" and The Stone Ponys' "Different Drum," the latter written by former Monkee Michael Nesmith. Sweet and Hoffs really have an ear for this stuff, as their original work from back in the day demonstrates. It quickly becomes apparent where their influences come from, particularly on The Beatles' "And Your Bird Can Sing" and Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl," both perfectly realized in Power Pop form. In the liner notes, they comment on each track, providing further insight into the project. The '60s meet the '80s and '90s to create a new summer of love. (P.F. Wilson) Grade: A

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