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Apr 19, 2021The result is a great triumph, a living testament to the strength of these songs and the nature of the ongoing relationship between musicians and the art they create. Each track is straightforward in its delivery, but each nonetheless filtered through the guise of the musician covering it. ... epic remains Van Etten’s best album, but epic ten does its best at eliciting the awestruck reverence that countless musicians feel towards it.
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Apr 19, 2021British post-punk ragers IDLES’ aggro take on “Peace Signs” works surprisingly well as it’s the furthest away from the style of the original whereas most of the other covers don’t deviate quite as far afield. Still, they are, like most of the best covers albums, representative of each artist’s individual styles and not just copies of the original, giving fresh new takes on familiar, well-loved material. As for the original release, it sounds as great now as it does back in 2011, the sound of a singer/songwriter honing her craft with a big voice, sharp pen, and an ear for instantly memorable tunes
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UncutApr 20, 2021Highlights include Idles’ explosive “Peace Signs”; St Panther unlocking the irresistible pop heart of “One Day”; and “Love More” given a rhythmic, world-weary makeover by Fiona Apple. [Jun 2021, p.46]
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Apr 19, 2021The second disc, the one with the covers, is a revelation of sorts. ... Not all of the covers add as much to the material, but there’s lots to admire in Courtney Barnett and Vagabond’s raw-boned “Don’t Do It,” and Big Red Machine’s rushing, blues-twanging, falsetto’d version of “A Crime.” One of the best, though, for its sheer audacity and difference from the source, is IDLES’ take on “Peace Signs.”
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Apr 19, 2021There was already a disarming openness to epic, and the best covers find new horizons in these songs still.
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Apr 20, 2021It absolutely rests on Big Red Machine and Fiona Apple's heavy lifting with the bookends; IDLES and Courtney Barnett deliver fine but uninspiring retreads of the originals, whereas more electronic indie-pop renderings of "Dsharpg" and "One Day" absolutely pale in comparison.
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Jun 10, 2021Offering a newly recorded version of Epic by a bunch of different artists turns out to not only be a clever idea, but it also shows how versatile and strong Van Etten's writing is.
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May 11, 2021The original was Etten taking tentative first steps to collaborate, while this album sees her pass on the songs completely. It’s a fitting legacy for an album that’s about moving on stronger, but not without forgetting about the heartache it took to get there.