Coverage - Mandy Moore
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Generally favorable reviews - based on 6 Critics What's this?

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Generally favorable reviews- based on 18 Ratings

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  • Summary: On this LP of covers (her fourth disc overall), 19-year-old actress/singer Mandy Moore tackles such songs as The Waterboys' "Whole Of The Moon," XTC's "Senses Working Overtime," Joe Jackson's "Breaking Us In Two" and Cat Stevens' "Moonshadow." Be afraid.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4 out of 6
  2. Negative: 1 out of 6
  1. While Coverage isn't always successful, it is always admirable and likeable, and certainly puts Moore on the right path for an interesting, successful career.
  2. 80
    These are big songs, and Moore's voice fills them out spectacularly, without turning the enterprise into a retro stunt. [Nov 2003, p.117]
  3. Moore's voice has grown stronger, she updates the covers with some youthful enthusiasm, and, well, these songs are hard to screw up.
  4. She's got a strong, appealing voice, and Coverage mostly demonstrates how well great songwriting translates.
  5. [The] production [is] so overblown with strings, turntable scratching, and arena-rock pomp that her perkily utilitarian voice, and the songs themselves, become an afterthought. [31 Oct 2003, p.74]
  6. Taking on familiar songs, though, always unearths the rough edges beneath the polish, especially when they sound flat wrong emanating from the mouth of America's peppiest nineteen-year-old.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 11 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 16
  3. Negative: 5 out of 16
  1. RudyardM
    May 23, 2005
    The stigma of peppy pop princess is a heavy coat to shrug off, but Moore does it effortlessly as she interprets these songs with unabashed fun. Some might be tempted to say that she didn't do these songs justice, or that she "butchered" them, but in a lot of ways she breathes new life into these tracks to deliver them to a new audience. Adherents to the originals are obviously biased, as there's a clear difference between the standards and Moore's take on them, but don't succumb to the temptation to call Coverage bad because it isn't an exact replica. Moore's offerings aren't meant to duplicate, but rather rejuvenate, and she displays a singular talent unexpected from the pop princess pack of '99. Goes to show that her brunette haircut's not the only smart thing she's done for her career. Expand
  2. lorryc
    Nov 15, 2003
    It's great and everyone should give it a try--you'll get addicted!
  3. KortneyJ
    Jan 26, 2004
    This is a great cd! All of the songs that she did are better than the 1st.The best song is Moonshadows.
  4. ThomasJ
    Nov 3, 2003
    These songs sound new, mainly because few people listen to the originals. I know because I own them and hardly listen to the originals. The only knock is that there is no emotional mood to the record since it hops from song to song but that is minor. The respect for the material shows and more importantly Mandy does a really nice job of connecting with the material and a great job of singing. Give it a listen and you will hear a growing artist taking a step forward. This is a winner of a record and a nice piece of work. Expand
  5. ChrisE
    Sep 30, 2006
    Mandy Moore may not have achieved the super-success of Britney, Christina and post-TV show Jessica, but that's not because she lacks talent. On the contrary, Moore is probably the biggest talent of the above superstars. Sure, her beginnings in 1999 were, well, marketed to follow in the footsteps that the infamous Britney Spears laid down for her; and it was obviously hard to distinguish her between her female pop star peers since she looked (and had almost the same material) as they did. On Coverage Moore grows up--not only has she become more mature, but her voice is the best it's ever sounded: powerful, moving and smooth. The depth portrayed on these songs isn't forced as, say, Jessica Simpson's are--it's the perfect blend and first step in achieving the title "recording artist" as opposed to "pop star." Not only did she open listeners of her generation (including myself) to what's beyond what's on Top 40 radio, but she did these classic pop tracks justice. Tremendous job. Expand
  6. Aaron
    Nov 20, 2003
    Like the editor said, I'm afraid....very afraid.....of a another album of crap.
  7. larryg
    Nov 6, 2003
    i'm not sure mandy moore is the most to blame for these songs sounding so comically awful. the producer surely deserves much of the blame for the album coming off like a muzak-karaoke nightmare from lounge act hell. the fact that a few truly great songs were covered (one might say "smothered," like waffle house hashbrowns, under a layer of cheese) here only serves to shine a glaring spotlight on ms. moore's vocal shortcomings. a very sad effort indeed. mildly interesting, occasionally humorous and entertaining, but ultimately sad. Expand

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