One needs to look no further than Bon Jovi's recent take on Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" to find anecdotal proof that the road to cover-song hell is paved with good intentions. The better the song, the more dangerous the cover. And so, it was not without some trepidation that I paid for, downloaded, and began to play The Be Good Tanyas' cover of Prince's When Doves Cry (

). It was with no hesitation thereafter that I purchased the Vancouver three-piece's in full.

But as fun as it is, When Doves Cry (

) is not the best song on the record. Nor is their take on fellow Canadian Neil Young's For The Turnstiles () (did I mention they did a Neil Young song too?). No, the meat you can really sink your teeth into on this record is found in the lush harmonies and sure-fingered picking of The Be Good Tanyas' original tunes. Really exceptional stuff. Some highlights:

Human Thing

A Thousand Tiny Pieces
Nobody Cares For Me

Still need convincing? Check out some other glowing reviews:

Their sound is a patchwork combination of styles that fit together with bold stitching, but keep you warm and feeling safe." [Herohill]

mumbling (and banjo) proved sexy."[lonesome music]