Mandy Moore

Coverage

THIS IS AN OUTSTANDING RECORD!!

Review Score:

(10/10)
Spin magazine said it best: "We're going to go ahead and put this out there ... this is the best album of other people's stuff since David Bowie released 'Pin-ups' in 1973."

That says a lot, does it not?

Mandy Moore's powers as an interpretive singer are quite impressive. Her acting talent is evident in each of these tunes, as she adopts a different persona in each of these songs and gives each number a new identity. She even does this on "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters", a song so completely owned by Elton John that it is difficult to take anyone else's version seriously, and yet Miss Moore is impressive on even this well-known track.

What is also noteworthy is the fact that Miss Moore sounds so wise-beyond-her-years, particularly on "Can We Still Be Friends", an old Todd Rundgren tune she dusts off and gives new life. Her tone is surprisingly mature, as she sounds like someone old enough to admit that the affair is over, and who is sufficiently experienced to realize true friends are rare, and thusly still longs for the company of the lover lost.

Musically this album is quite superior. Miss Moore's producer and arranger has a great feel for 70's and 80's music, as he has retained the basic structure and tempo of the tunes and yet sufficiently updated the arrangements to allow this heavily stylisitic music to still sound current.

All in all, a great album and a great listen. Granted, I don't think this record will sell too well, because this music is not what many kids these days are looking for, and the older folks have yet to make up their minds about Mandy. So perhaps this terrific record won't find much of an audience, and it's a shame, because this is truly a one-of-a-kind cover album.

The bottom line: Mandy Moore is one of the best singers and actresses working today, and this album is a prelude of truly great things to come.

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