Copy That

Copy That is a clever title for a covers album, but it also raises the question of whether these new cover versions are mere Xeroxes of the original. Surely, Sara Evans doesnt show an inclination to rework the classic pop, rock, and country tunes she sings on Copy That. Whether its Patsy Clines Shes Got You, Fleetwood Macs Monday Morning, Yvonne Ellimans Bee Gee-written If I Cant Have You, or the Knacks My Sharona, Evans uses the hit version as her lodestar, sticking as close to the original recording as possible. Country is an afterthought on Copy That. Apart from the Cline cover, theres a version of Hank Williams Im So Lonesome I Could Cry where shes supported by the modern-day string band Old Crow Medicine Show, and its old-timey vibe is decidedly out of place on an album that consists of staples of Jack/DougFM radio spiked by a John Mayer deep cut called All We Ever Do Is Say Goodbye. Evans amiably navigates the shifting styles and is in robust voice throughout, a quality that works well on Carole Kings Its Too Late but is embarrassingly stiff on a misguided take on Dexys Midnight Runners Come On Eileen. Despite this misstep, Copy That largely glides by on its good cheer. Perhaps Evans doesnt add much to her favorite songs, but her amiable spirit is evident throughout the breezy affair. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine