A heavyweight cast of producers and co-writers are on hand to bolster the ex-Bangle singer's fragile, slightly edgy second solo outing. The disc includes a cover of the Lightning Seeds' "All I Want," though it's her co-writes with David Baerwald ("Eyes of a Baby"), Imperial Drag's Roger Manning ("Falling") and Cracker's David Lowery ("Darling One") that impress most. --Jeff Bateman
Susanna Hoffs,Susanna Hoffs,Polygram Records,College Rock,Pop,Pop/Rock,Popular Music,Rock,Rock/Pop
Susanna Hoffs
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Under the Covers, Vol. 1
Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs , Matthew Sweet , and Susanna Hoffs Manufacturer: Shout Factory ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000EQ5QFE Release Date: 2006-04-18 |
Tracks:
- I See The Rain (The Marmalade)
- And Your Bird Can Sing (The Beatles)
- It's All Over Now, Baby Blue (Bob Dylan)
- Who Knows Where The Time Goes? (Fairport Convention)
- Cinnamon Girl (Neil Young And Crazy Horse)
- Alone Again Or (Love)
- Warmth Of The Sun (The Beach Boys)
- Different Drum (The Stone Poneys, featuring Linda Ronstadt)
- The Kids Are Alright (The Who)
- Sunday Morning (The Velvet Underground)
- Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere (Neil Young And Crazy Horse)
- Care Of Cell #44 (The Zombies)
- Monday Monday (The Mamas And The Papas)
- She May Call You Up Tonight (The Left Banke)
- Run To Me (The Bee Gees)
Amazon.com
Sid (Matthew Sweet, after his character's name in the Austin Powers band Ming Tea) and Susie (Susanna Hoffs, who joined him and Mike Myers in belting out "BBC" on the soundtrack) are in as fine voice as ever on Under the Covers, Vol. 1, a 15-song collection of tunes first made famous by the likes of the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Mamas and the Papas, and the Who. And man, were they born to sing this stuff. Both the Bangles and Sweet discographies are derivative--in the best possible sense--of late-'60s pop-rock, and who didn't love the Merry-Go-Round, Grass Roots, Simon & Garfunkel, and Big Star covers Hoffs and company scattered among their originals? Recorded at Sweet's home studio in the Hollywood Hills, the album opens strong with "I See the Rain," a Marmalade song from 1967 that Jimi Hendrix called the year's best British single but was a hit only in the Netherlands. Maybe Sweet's stinging, ringing fretwork (he plays most of the non-percussion instruments on this disc) and Hoffs's throwback vocals will rectify that, nearly 40 years later. The two proceed to nail the Beatles' "And Your Bird Can Sing," one of the high points on Revolver, and score similarly with Fairport Convention's "Who Knows Where the Time Goes?" (Hoffs in full ballad mode), the Stone Poneys' "Different Drum," the Who's "The Kids Are Alright," Love's "Alone Again Or," and a pair of Neil Young numbers, "Cinnamon Girl" and "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere." Some of the selections do miss the mark--Hoffs's smoky-sweet backing vocals seem a little misplaced on Dylan's "It's All Over Now, Baby Blue," and "The Warmth of the Sun" was probably the wrong Beach Boys track for Sweet to attempt (Brian Wilson himself strains at those high notes nowadays). But by and large this is a delightful power-pop excursion. Van Dyke Parks's liner notes, keyboards, and string arrangements make it that much better, as do Sweet collaborator Ric Menck's drums, Ed Fotheringham's illustrations, and Henry Diltz's photographs (Hoffs looks as stunning today as she did when laying down All Over the Place). --Benjamin Lukoff
More Sid & Susie
Different Light The Bangles |
Doll Revolution The Bangles |
Austin Powers Original Soundtrack |
Greatest Hits The Bangles |
Girlfriend Matthew Sweet |
Time Capsule: The Best Of Matthew Sweet |
Album Description
What do alt-rock/power pop heroes like Susanna Hoffs (The Bangles) and Matthew Sweet do on their time off? They get together in Matthew's comfy home studio and record a stunning album of their favorite '60s pop hits and rarities, of course!The two first worked together in conjunction with Mike Myers as members of the band Ming Tea, appearing in all three Austin Powers movies and soundtracks. Now they've struck out on their own with Under The Covers Vol. 1, a tribute to their favorite '60s acts, including The Beatles, Bob Dylan, Neil Young,The Who, and cult favorites like The Velvet Underground,The Zombies,The Left Banke, and Love. Leaving the songwriting to others lets Matthew and Susanna focus on singing, and the results are breathtaking. For extra authenticity, they even asked Van Dyke Parks (most famous for his work with the Beach Boys)to play keyboards and write string arrangements. It all adds up to a rock fan's dream come true.
Customer Reviews:
A breeze from the past........2007-06-23
My one criticism is based on my purpose for buying it. I am in desperate need of music that my two young boys can enjoy and that won't drive me stark raving mad with boredom. I was hoping this would fit the bill, but the psychodelic first track "I See The Rain" is about the least accessible of the entire recording and my kids immediately decided they didn't like this CD.
Of course, I can always try again with the CD player on random play mode, but it got me thinking that with a little tweakage here and there this could have been a real breakthrough into the child's music market, since it seems to be a trend to record covers of classics and market them to kids.
Be that as it may, Susanna Hoff's voice is as distinctive as it was in the heyday of the Bangles, and since this CD says "Vol 1" on it I can only hope that there will be additional volumes to follow. I get it, even if my kids don't.
A Boast for the Bygone.......2007-03-18
beautiful melodies and uplifting lyrics.......2007-02-15
A catchy guitar hook and a blending of Hoffs and Sweet's vocals command "I See the Rain" (The Marmalade). On "And Your Bird Can Sing" (The Beatles), Sweet and Hoffs trade harmonic melodies back and forth. Matthew also lays down a great surf-rock guitar solo. The duo expresses their rocking side on Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl." The tempo is slightly faster than the original, but it still has all of the edgy guitar fuzz. With just one note you will instantly recognize the mark of Brian Wilson on "The Warmth of the Sun" (The Beach Boys). This down-tempo number is lead mostly by Matthew's high-pitched vocals. Susana backs him up on the choruses.
Hoffs has such a sweet voice on The Stone Poneys classic "Different Drum." This is definitely one of the songs I think of when I think of that decade. I had no idea it was written by Mike Nesmith (Monkees). Sweet and Hoffs unleash their rocking side again on "The Kids are Alright" (The Who) and "Everybody Knows This is Nowhere" (Neil Young & Crazy Horse). As the duo states in their liner notes, Who doesn't like The Mammas and the Papas? Songs like Monday, Monday were the epitome of the music scene in the sixties.
The Bad
Nothing notable
The Verdict
Not that I lived it, but what I've gathered in my lifetime; this album recreates the sounds of the sixties with beautiful melodies and uplifting lyrics.
Not a lot of new cd's worth buying these days. This one is!!!.......2007-01-29
Great Taste, No Revelations.......2006-11-10
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Susanna Hoffs
Susanna Hoffs Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000001FJH Release Date: 1996-09-24 |
Tracks:
- Beekeepers Blues
- All I Want
- Enormous Wings
- Falling
- Daring One
- King Of Tragedy
- Eyes Of A Baby
- Grand Adventure
- Happy Place
- Those Days Are Over
- Weak With Love
- Bonus Track 1
- Bonus Track 2
Amazon.com
A heavyweight cast of producers and co-writers are on hand to bolster the ex-Bangle singer's fragile, slightly edgy second solo outing. The disc includes a cover of the Lightning Seeds' "All I Want," though it's her co-writes with David Baerwald ("Eyes of a Baby"), Imperial Drag's Roger Manning ("Falling") and Cracker's David Lowery ("Darling One") that impress most. --Jeff BatemanCustomer Reviews:
What's not to like?.......2006-09-05
Quite good, actually.......2006-04-08
Highlights include "Weak With Love," "Enormous Wings" and the hidden cover of "Stuck in the Middle With You." Lowlights -- well, nothing's unlistenable, really, but "Falling" and "Darling One" are not my favorites.
And, FWIW, I happen to like both "All Over the Place" and "Manic Monday."
Time-honored tradition of power pop, as opposed to '80s MTV-ready big-hair synth-pop.......2006-01-19
If on the other hand you, like me, think All Over the Place is the best Bangles album, and you also really dug the Real World EP, and you like Hoffs and the Bangles for their stunning displays of power pop ecstacy (e.g., "September Gurls"), then you want this record. The supporting cast is great and hints strongly at the pedigree. This is a well-crafted piece of work with integrity and pop savvy that will hold up long after "Eternal Flame" has faded into Billboard trivia obscurity.
That said, its a "small" record, one that will reward the discerning listener, but not necessarily a must-own. I'd give it 3 and a half stars if Amazon allowed halves.
You've got to be kidding!.......2005-03-09
the 80s. This album is a big bore and I couldnt make it through one song. Stricktly for the hippies.
A beautiful album.......2004-11-15
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When You're a Boy
Susanna Hoffs Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B00000272P Release Date: 1991-02-02 |
Tracks:
- My Side Of The Bed
- No Kind Of Love
- Wishing On Telstar
- That's Why Girls Cry
- Unconditional Love
- Something New
- So Much For Love
- This Time
- Only Love
- It's Lonely Out Here
- Made Of Stone
- Boys Keep Swinging
Customer Reviews:
Not the strongest album around, but anything by Susanna Hoffs can't be that bad.......2007-04-25
Hoffs hit the gong here, at least once.......2006-05-17
By the way, the video . . . woof! There's something about a half-nekkid girl with great hair sitting on a white bed with a big red guitar . . . darn right, I'll lay with you. Well, fifteen years ago. And without the guitar of course.
When You're a Toy.......2005-10-16
The result is a mess. Sue Hoffs' vocals are OK when peppered on a Bangles album, but an entire album of her treacly, little girl vocals is just too much to bear. Add to that the moronic lyrics("I drew a heart and I colored it red") of the lame songs, the over-synthesized Muzak-like production and you have an album that is totally un-listenable. It's no wonder the album bombed and she was soon dropped. If "The Allnighter" embarrassed her to no end, this album was the proverbial nail in the coffin.
The best cut is "Something New" which is a quiet, sad, well-crafted song without the zillion synthesizers. Sue's second album reveals that she sounds much better in a folk-rock acoustic setting. "When You're a Boy" might have worked except that Sue sings it without a trace of irony and the swashbuckling synths turns a great song into elevator music. Too bad. Sue's solo career really went nowhere. Although she is talented, she's doesn't have the calibre of talent of a Sarah MacLachlan or a Sheryl Crow. At least the other three Bangles had enough sense to pick solo projects that suited their talents.
Disappointing........2005-07-27
What's so wrong with love? This is a legitmate question in these jaded times, and frankly it's a tricky one to address artistically. How many hopeful romantic songs are out there that aren't laden down with cliches and make the singer sound like an idiot? Hoffs is victim of the same fate, only she's got a whole album of these songs, which is a shame because she is clearly not an idiot despite lyrics like "Never stop you're dreamin'. 'Cause dreams are what the world is made of."
Then suddenly as if to say the whole album's been a joke, there is the bizarre cover of David Bowie's "Boy's Keep Swinging" from which she gets the title of her album "When You're a Boy." The fact that this song that details the perks of being male that are taken for granted is given so much thematic weight to this album (the title and its placement on the songlist)perhaps indicates that Hoffs recognizes that an additional perk is that a cute boy can turn a smart talented woman into a flighty co-dependant girlfriend.
As she also did with her subsequent album, she seems to be trying on different co-songwriters to find a perfect fit. I would argue that she already found one in Vicki Peterson of the Bangles, although admittedly if this was a direction that she wanted to head in Peterson wouldn't have followed her. There are some interesting musical moments on the album and Hoffs reminds the listener that she is responsible for some smart pop songcraft. "No Kind of Love" is rhythmically ambitious and arguably, the most "arty" piece on the album. "That's Why Girls Cry", "This Time", and "Only Love" are all nods to girl groups of times gone by. "Something New" is perhaps the most intimate she's ever sounded by this date. "It's Lonely Out Here" has a cool bluesy organ and guitar crunch.
There's nothing wrong with pop music, particularly stylish pop music. Modern day "divas" could use some of the style of Hoffs and Belinda Carlisle, but there's a point on this record when the style just becomes annoying ("Made of Stone"). In her defense, this was not a crazy idea. Belinda Carlisle of The Go-Go's had great success with her solo career of stylish pop and she came from a group with a pedigree in punk! Also, Hoffs had just come off of an enormous success with "Eternal Flame." All of these factors seemed to add up to a well calculated risk. Unfortunately, Hoffs' timing couldn't have been worse. This album was released in 1991, the year that punk broke and her previous audience had just discovered apathy..the antithesis of this album. It's a shame, because Hoffs has a lot to offer artistically as witnessed by her proceeding work both solo and with the Bangles.
Excellent!.......2005-07-21
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When You're a Boy [Japan Import]
Susanna Hoffs ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000MCCLYO |
Product Description
1991, Sony records Japan. CSCS-5271. Out of print original Japanese import edition. 12 tracks in total.
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Paste Magazine Music Sampler #22
Alejandro Escovedo , Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs , Allison Moorer , Edward McCain , Elf Power , Yonder Mountain String Band , Josh Ritter , Lynn Miles , Tim O'Reagan , and Mason Jennings Manufacturer: paste ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000P8TP76 |
Product Description
1.) "She May Call You Up Tonight" - Matthew Sweet & Susanna Hoffs 2.) "Corvette" - Golden Smog 3.) "Summer's Coming" - Sean Watkins 4.) "King Of Earth" - Elf Power 5.) "How 'Bout You" - Yonder Mountain String Band 6.) "Black and White Movie" - Janove Ottesen 7.) "Wolves" - Josh Ritter 8.) "Love Sweet Love" - Lynn Miles 9.) "That's the Game" - Tim O'Reagan 10.) "Be Here Now" - Mason Jennings 11.) "Move By Yourself" - Donavon Frankenreiter 12.) "Arizona (edit)" - Alejandro Escovedo 13.) "Fighting For Your Life" - David Mead 14.) "Darling Do You?" - Lylas 15.) "Springtime Can Kill You" - Jolie Holland 16.) "What Does It Mean Now? (edit)" - World Party 17.) "You Who" - Katharine Whalen 18.) "Sir Casey Jones" - The Eighteenth Day Of May 19.) "Long Day" - The Bittersweets 20.) "Everybody But You" - Dave Barnes 21.) "Welcome to Struggleville" - Edwin McCain 22.) "Fairweather" - Allison Moorer 23.) "Roundabout (edit)" - Edgar Meyer
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All I Want
Susanna Hoffs Manufacturer: Polygram Records ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD Similar Items:
ASIN: B000001G1X Release Date: 1996-11-12 |
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Love in the 90's
Manufacturer: Sony ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000MX4NIU |
Product Description
Collection of Great Love Songs from the 90'sCustomer Reviews:
Track Listing.......2007-01-26
2. Stop Love - Luther Vandross
3. My Side of the Bed - Susanna Hoffs
4. Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover - Sophie B. Hawkins
5. Let The Beat Hit 'em - Lisa Lisa & Cult Jam
6. Cruising for Bruising - Basia
7. Love...Thy Will Be Done - Martika
8. Wishing on a Star - The Cover Girls
9. Make It Like It Was - Regina Belle
10. I'll Get By - Eddie Money
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Fathers and Sons
James McMurtry , Manic Street Preachers , Julianna Hatfield , Collision , Chris Whitley , Susanna Hoffs , Thelonious Monster , Ned's Atomic Dustbin , Nancie De Ross , and Various Artists Manufacturer: Chaos/Columbia ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000008FJ1 Release Date: 1992-11-17 |
Customer Reviews:
About this CD.......2004-08-14
1. Candyland - James McMurtry
2. Stay Beautiful - Manic Street Preachers
3. Yeh! Yeh - Julianna Hatfield
4. Who Do You Love? - Collision
5. Blue Sky Blues - Chris Whitley
6. You Were On My Mind - Susanna Hoffs
7. Body and Soul - Thelonious Monster
8. Kill Your Television - Ned's Atomic Dustbin
9. I Don't Know Why - Nancie De Ross
10. Chew the Chew - Gumball
11. I'm from New Jersey - John Gorka
Pacific Pictures - Asbury Parak Productions & Sony Music
1992
Movie stars: Jeff Goldblum, Rory Cochrane, Rocky Carroll, Ellen Greene, Natasha Gregson Wagner, Paul Hipp, Rosanna Arquette
Written and Directed by Paul Mones
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Pal Shazar
Pal Shazar Manufacturer: self-produced ProductGroup: Music Binding: Audio CD ASIN: B000K1SGG4 |
Product Description
Former vocalist/songwriter for 80's cerebral duo Slow Children, Pal Shazar continues to be a dynamic lyricist and musician whose songs wickedly insinuate a world of love, lust and poetic justice. CONTENTS: 1) Penny For Your Thoughts 2) 3 Sheets To The Wind 3) No One Knows What Anybody Needs 4) Wade Went WildRap Music:
- Talk On Corners [Special Edition] [Special Edition]
- The Best Band You Never Heard in Your Life [Live] [Original recording remastered] [Box set]
- The Calling
- The Communards [Original recording remastered] [Import]
- The Hush
- The Mirror Man Sessions [Original recording remastered]
- The Most of Dan Hicks & his Hot Licks [Extra tracks]
- The Sonics Boom
- The Very Best of The Pogues [Import]
- The Very Best of The Raspberries
Recommended Music:
Where's Your Head At? [CD-single] [Import]
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Car Fulla White Boys [Explicit Lyrics]
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DJ Maluco & Banda Forro Dance V.4 [Import]
David Diamond: Symphony No. 1; Violin Concerto No. 2; The Enormous Room