CD Review

What's harder to believe - that Paul McCartney will turn 64 next year or that the Beatles' Rubber Soul is turning 40? Either way you’re feeling your age. So to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the legendary album, Razor &Tie Entertainment has assembled some of today's indie rock hot shots (Sufjan Stevens, Fiery Furnaces, Ted Theo), roots rockers (Yonder Mountain String Band, Mindy Smith, Cowboy Junkies) and musical troubadours (Nellie McKay, Ben Kweller) to reinvent the Fab Four classic.

Like any tribute album, you’ve got the carbon copies, where The Donnas' "Drive My Car," complete with "beep beep, beep beep yeah," makes you second guess whose playing, but for the most part, these are new renditions of old favorites. Dar Williams delivers her New England-y folk in a cozy version of "You Won't See Me." The Fiery Furnaces flip "Norwegian Wood" inside out in theatrical fashion, and Yonder Mountain String Band gives "Think For Yourself," an earthy bluegrass touch. Ringo Starr's "What Goes You On," is dosed with an oddball orchestral flourish courtesy of Sufjan Stevens, while those who want a taste of a lounge singer, can listen to Nellie McKay's take on "If I Needed Someone."

It's hard to mess up a Beatles song and this collection proudly brings new life to these mid 60's classics. Howver, in case you've been a strict post Revolver fan of the Beatles, you owe yourself a copy the real Rubber Soul. Ben Harper sings "Michelle" fine, but he's no John Lennon and contrary to popular opinion, Sufjan Stevens is no Ringo Starr.

Track List -

1. Drive My Car - The Donnas Listen

2. Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown) - The Fiery Furnaces

3. You Won't See Me - Dar Williams

4. Nowhere Man - Low

5. Think for Yourself - Yonder Mountain String Band Listen

6. The Word - Mindy Smith

7. Michelle - Ben Harper

8. What Goes On - Sufjan Stevens

9. Girl - Rhett Miller

10. I'm Looking Through You - Ted Leo &the Pharmacists

11. In My Life - Ben Lee

12. Wait - Ben Kweller

13. If I Needed Someone - Nellie McKay

14. Run for Your Life - Cowboy Junkies