An excellent singer-songwriter in her own right, Kathleen Edwards has recorded a collection of songs by other artists that hold a special significance to her. Aptly named COVERS, the album includes reimagined tracks by Tom Petty, Jason Isbell, Bruce Springsteen, the Flaming Lips, Supertramp, Paul Westerberg, John Prine and R.E.M.
At first I didn’t recognize her take of R.E.M.’s “Sweetness Follows” which appeared on their 1992 album Automatic For The People. She’s given the song a faster tempo and different key and it works beautifully in her favor, making it truly her own. Listen below.
Edwards shared on social media:
“Automatic For The People” is the R.E.M. album I tether myself to above all others. Man on the Moon and Everybody Hurts were undeniable hits - emotional, beautiful, anthemic, fragile… but my favorite songs from that album are Nightswimming, Sidewinder Sleeps Tonight, and of course, Sweetness Follows. This album is masterclass in melody, songwriting, production and listen carefully: the percussion plays a role in so many songs, triangle, claves, wood block, the melodica closing out the album on Find the River. “The river to the ocean goes, a fortune for the undertow”. Wow.”
“It would be impossible to touch an already perfect recording, but I’ve always wanted to cover a song from “AFTP” in tribute to this incredible album. I’ve never heard a cover of Sweetness Follows before, so I took a shot at it.”
Kathleen Edwards COVERS will be available in 2025.
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