Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs: Under the Covers Vol 3 Shout Factory/Floating World

Take two Americans with a passion for all things classic pop/rock (notably of the British persuasion) and you've got a good head start. Factor in a modus operandi of not deviating too far from the centre of what constitutes said classic pop/rock, and you've got a winner. Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs (the latter formerly of The Bangles) are particularly adept at paying homage to their influences without genuflecting at the respective altars. And so, while you might well wonder how they will manage with covers of The Smiths (How Soon Is Now),
Kirsty MacColl (They Don't
Know), XTC (Towers of London), The Beat (Save It for Later) and The Pretenders (Kid), by album's end you'll just have to admit that arrangements as well as execution are very close to the top of the pile. matthewsweet.com/susana
hoffs.com
Download: Towers of London, Save It for Later, Our Lips Are Sealed