Search - Vetiver :: Thing of the Past

Covers?

Jeffrey L. Giltenboth | Asheville, NC, USA | 08/25/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Who knew. I mean really who knew. Most often cover records come about in two ways. One is as a tribute to an artist, though this type is usually a compilation. The other is to fulfill a contract obligation while the artist is walking out the door. In either of those instances a quick perusal of the track listing shows immediately that the songs aren't originals. If I hadn't read about this LP, I wouldn't have known it was a covers album. Maybe that's why it fits into neither of the norms and is also why it's easy to accept the versions. With the exception of The Swimming Song that I knew, not from Wainwright but from the New Riders of the Purple Sage, I wasn't familiar with any one these tunes notwithstanding a rather large record/CD collection. Too many probably to know what all the tracks on all the albums are. A couple seemed a little familiar when listening but not enough to have welded an image in my brain.

I may have bought this if only for the jacket which is (either ironically or intentionally)loaded with old record covers. I did buy it in vinyl to enhance the attractiveness of the jacket. A jacket as busy as this one is loses a lot when reduced to CD jacket size.

Maybe because they are covers, but there is not a bad track on this disc. In fact, this probably is Vetiver's best disc to date. Obviously, it matters not that the buyer wouldn't know the songs are covers.

The only downside, as is often the case with covers lps, there is a dearth of information about the originals and why they were choosen for inclusion on this album."

Amazing album of covers

Eric E. Miller | Chicago, IL | 09/13/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I saw these guys open up and back up Gary Louris. I was instantly hooked on them and bought both of their albums that night. I am even more amazed with Thing of the Past, which might be my favorite for this year. You'd think this was album of originals the way it is played with great emotion and subtlety. I love it so much that I've looked into most of the artists that they cover. It's mellow, lots of acoustic guitars,but very catchy and rootsy. Sounds like it could have come out in the late sixties, early seventies. Check it out and don't hesitate to look into the other artists such as Bobby Charles, Loudon Wainwright, Ronnie Lane, Michael Hurley, Townes Van Zandt, and Matthews Southern Comfort."