The Lemonheads

The Lemonheads

Album: “Varshons 2”

Grade: B

Cover versions have played a conflicting role for Evan Dando and The Lemonheads, their takes on “Luka” and “Mrs. Robinson” clearing paths but also boxing them in for some listeners.

Nonetheless, 2009’s “Varshons” – with songs by Gram Parsons, Wire and Leonard Cohen, among others – was hailed as an excellent if stopgap effort until the surely imminent release of original material.

Barely a decade on, “Vershons 2” follows up and reprises the quality of its predecessor but hopes for a full album of self-penned material have mostly dissipated. So get used to Evan Dando as interpreter instead of songwriter – with so long between releases, there’ll be plenty of time to adjust.

In most cases, Dando respects the original arrangements, with his de-stressed and bittersweet vocals adding an extra layer of emotion to excellent songs, such as Paul Westerberg’s “Things,” NRBQ’s “Magnet,” and Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds’ “Straight to You.”

Nashville’s Natural Child get a tip of the hat with “Now and Then,” which has three guitarists, a “Brimful of Asha”-like rhythm and will hopefully send listeners their way. On some tracks – John Prine’s “Speed of the Sound of Loneliness” and Lucinda Williams’ “Abandoned,” for example – Dando picks up some of the vocal fingerprints of the originals, which comes across as endearing where it could be irritating.

Marciana Jones – part of TSP with Dando and Willy Mason – contributes some excellent backing vocals throughout and shares the spotlight with Dando on the Jayhawks’ “Settled Down Like Rain.” Other bands covered include Yo La Tengo, The Bevis Frond, and country duo Florida Georgia Line.

Is closer “Take It Easy,” the Eagles’ anthem of the laid back, Dando’s tongue-in-cheek allusion to his slacker tag? Is “Varshons 3” next or, at long last, his own songs? Better have a seat while you wait.

–Pablo Gorondi, Associated Press

Michael Chapman

Album: “True North”

Grade: A

If John Bonham called his drumsticks “trees,” Michael Chapman must have cables on his acoustic guitar instead of strings. Like Bonham’s booming but graceful play, Chapman’s tones are thick and elegant and provide his songs with a ringing, rich emotional heft.

“True North” is the Englishman’s second album in a row admirably produced by Steve Gunn and, similarly to “50,” its 2017 predecessor, offers a few new tracks, fresh takes on several older ones and a pair of instrumentals shining the spotlight on his sizable guitar skills.

Including such gems as “Fully Qualified Survivor” and “Savage Amusement,” Chapman’s discography is extensive, including fascinating instrumental albums, and he’s revisited his own songs before, but the re-workings here should satisfy even the most fanatical connoisseurs of his catalog.

The arrangements are usually more stripped down and the splintered patina of the 78-year-old Chapman’s weathered voice makes already magnetic songs such as “Vanity & Pride,” “Hell to Pay” and “Youth Is Wasted on the Young” even more irresistible.

Pedal steel legend B.J. Cole, who first recorded with Chapman in the 1970s, adds excellent accompaniment, as do Sarah Smout on cello and Bridget St John, another Chapman acolyte from way back, on vocals. Gunn plays guitar and percussion.

The gravity of St John’s voice often matches Chapman’s but also offers a more melodic contrast. On “Bluesman” – one of the new tracks – and “Full Bottle, Empty Heart,” her contributions are especially crucial, while her lines on “After All This Time,” about an old relationship that left its mark on both partners, could be from a revitalized Marianne Faithful.

The Earth’s magnetic north may be moving at increasing speed, but once you’re honed in on “True North” you won’t want to shift your attention anytime soon.

–Pablo Gorondi, Associated Press