It’s taken ten years for Evan Dando to release a sequel to Varshons. The brain behind The Lemonheads has kept the principle the same as the first volume: covers galore, each one more eclectic than the last. Can't Forget by Yo La Tengo, Settled Down Like Rain by The Jayhawks, Things by Paul Westerberg, Speed Of The Sound Of Loneliness by John Prine, Abandoned by Lucinda Williams, Magnet by NRBQ, Straight To You by Nick Cave, Take It Easy by The Eagles, all mixed together with more obscure songs - Now and Then by Natural Child, Old Man Blank by Bevis Frond, Round Here by Florida Georgia Line, TAQN by The Eyes and Unfamiliar by The GiveGoods. During his moment of glory (at the beginning of the ‘90s), Dando skilfully united power pop with grunge. Today, at 50 years old, his room is looking a little tidier and his typically American indie rock offers up more polished but no less interesting melodies. He plays his guitars with a flawless aggression. Even in the ballads, such as the beautiful cover of Abandoned, he fashions a tortured, slow and melancholic solo that’s really rather poignant. His youthful voice remains unscathed and he manages to add his own personal touch to each cover, making this eclectic record ultimately quite homogeneous. An excellent record. © Marc Zisman/Qobuz