On the {^The Covers Record}, {$Chan Marshall} continues her evolution into a remarkably expressive interpreter of songs; her earlier covers of {$Pavement}'s {&"We Dance"} and {$Smog}'s {&"Bathysphere"} are among her most distinctive performances. This collection includes songs originally by {$Bob Dylan}, {$the Rolling Stones}, {$the Velvet Underground}, {$Moby Grape}, {$Michael Hurley}, and Anonymous. {$Marshall}'s sparest album yet, {^The Covers Record} uses guitar and piano as the only foils for her malleable, emotional voice. These tools are more than enough to turn {$the Stones}' anthem {&"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"} into a bluesy, slinky version emphasizing the song's tension and frustration as much as its jaded sexiness, and {&"Kingston Town"} from a reggae standard into a hymnal reflection. {$Marshall}'s gentle version of {$Hurley}'s {&"Sweedeedee"} and plaintive reading of {$the Velvets}' {&"I Found a Reason"} recall the quietest, most spiritual moments from {^Moon Pix}. This culminates on the cover of her own {&"In This Hole"} from {^What Would the Community Think}; one of the most drastic revisions, its soft pianos and serene vocals replace the original's turbulent anguish, reflecting her changing musical path. {$Marshall} explores many emotional directions, from her yearning version of {$Moby Grape}'s {&"Naked If I Want To"} to her brooding sensuality on {&"Wild Is the Wind,"} to her down-home optimism on {$Bob Dylan}'s {&"Paths of Victory."} {&"Salty Dog"}'s lilting melody and humorous lyrics bring out {$Marshall}'s Georgia twang, while her version of {$Smog}'s {&"Red Apples"} shows off her voice's sensual lows and keening highs. The joyous cover of {&"Sea of Love"} (originally by {$Phil Phillips}) brings this accomplished, heartfelt {^Covers Record} to a very happy end. ~ Heather Phares, All Music Guide