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 Hatfields largely handmade recordings. Part of the charm of her Sings series is how Hatfield 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 Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO, she achieves this by balancing classic rock radio staples with deep cuts -- she closes the proceedings with "Ordinary Dream," pulled from Electric Light Orchestras excellent latter-day album Zoom -- then concentrating on the elements that give ELO a light, sweet airiness. Thats a spirit that easily translates to the stripped-down surroundings Hatfield creates by herself, along with drums from Chris Anzalone and bass by Ed Valauskas. Choosing to transpose strings to guitar and voice helps Hatfield achieve a sense of intimacy while retaining a sense of romantic grandeur, a combination that gives Juliana Hatfield Sings ELO a distinctly warm and comforting feeling without succumbing to the pitfalls of nostalgia. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Rovi