The third in a series of tribute albums from
Juliana Hatfield
to her idols,
Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO
finds the singer/songwriter tackling the catalog of an artist that is known for their lush, layered arrangements -- the kind of recordings that are the opposite of
Hatfield
's largely handmade recordings. Part of the charm of her Sings series is how
addresses these kinds of challenges, finding ways to rearrange familiar records so they retain their original vibe while also bearing her own idiosyncratic imprint. With
, she achieves this by balancing classic rock radio staples with deep cuts -- she closes the proceedings with "Ordinary Dream," pulled from
Electric Light Orchestra
's excellent latter-day album
Zoom
-- then concentrating on the elements that give
ELO
a light, sweet airiness. That's a spirit that easily translates to the stripped-down surroundings
creates by herself, along with drums from
Chris Anzalone
and bass by
Ed Valauskas
. Choosing to transpose strings to guitar and voice helps
achieve a sense of intimacy while retaining a sense of romantic grandeur, a combination that gives
a distinctly warm and comforting feeling without succumbing to the pitfalls of nostalgia. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine