The third in a series of records benefiting the Sweet Relief Foundation -- a charity that provides health-related assistance to musicians in need -- Pennies from Heaven doesn't pay tribute to a specific artist, the way that the
Victoria Williams-devoted first set did, or how the second consisted of nothing but covers of
Vic Chesnutt. Both
Williams and
Chesnutt were musicians in need and this time, the ailing musician is behind the scenes: producer
Sheldon Gomberg suffers from multiple sclerosis.
Gomberg produces a variety of adult alternative artists singing sweet, tasteful covers of their favorite songs. Some, like
Ron Sexsmith and
Sam Phillips, choose old standards, while others -- like
Rickie Lee Jones, Geneviéve Toupin, and
Tina Schlieske -- opt for the classic rock songbook, but it's all tied together by gentle, unhurried arrangements and a soft touch. Sometimes, the feel is slightly too transparent -- in the hands of
She & Him, "King of the Road" turns sugary -- but everything is pleasant and sweet, the kind of record that soothes for a good cause. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine