MANDY MOORE
"Coverage" [limited edition with bonus DVD]
Epic (EK 90667)
Release Date: October 21, 2003

Coverage is Mandy Moore's most recent release, which is an album containing covers of songs from the 1970's and 1980's. Overall, this is a very well done covers album; while Mandy has tried to modernize the sound of the songs, she did it without sacrificing the "soul" of the original versions. It's very obvious from Mandy's vocal deliveries that she has a true appreciation for the songs she is covering. My favorites on the album include "Senses Working Overtime," "Drop The Pilot," "One Way Or Another," and "Have A Little Faith In Me."

The limited edition version of the album comes with a bonus DVD, which includes 30 minutes of interview footage with Mandy Moore, as well as the video for "Have A Little Faith In Me." Mandy really impressed me in the interview footage; she comes across as an intelligent young lady, and very personable. She's definitely comes across being true to herself, and not some kind of manufactured image.

Coverage really showcases Mandy's vocal abilities. With previous efforts, I thought she had a decent voice, but the material she was given was mediocre; with this album, Mandy's vocal talent really shines. Mandy has stated in a number of interviews that her goal with this album is to introduce a younger generation to these classics. I think Mandy will find that with this album, she will gain some older fans, who weren't as willing to give her a chance with her earlier material (because they wrote her off as being simply a "Britney Spears clone").

I hope that in the future, Mandy will incorporate this kind of sound into her music. I truly believe that Mandy will be able to have longevity with her career if she starts to shift away from the pop demographic and trying to cater more to an older, Adult Contemporary audience.

(reviewed by Lesley Muir on November 11, 2003)