Katey Sagal
Covered
(eOne Music)
It’s been nearly a decade since Katey Sagal (yes that Katey Sagal) has released an album. And though these days the lady is best known for her role on Sons of Anarchy (and before that her stint as Mrs. Al Bundy), Katey has bounced about a wee bit in the music business (to put it mildly). She’s released two full solo albums, sung background for Dylan, Etta James and most infamously was one of Bette Midler’s Harlettes backing female vocalists.
Katey’s new 10-song almost all covers album, Covered, opens with a tight drum machine and the lady’s breathy, almost-ready-to-break voice on a re-imagined “Free Fallin’†by Tom Petty. The song opens up nicely as we get a good rockin’ lead from Lyle Workman and Katey uses the full range of her impressive pipes near the end. She rolls her pretty vocal around a sweet and desperate read of Jackson Browne’s “For A Dancer†and actually duets with Browne on a fantastic cover of Steve Earle’s “Goodbye†with some great Spanish-influenced background from her cracker jack Forest Rangers band.
Greg Leisz’ pedal steel is perfect on Ryan Adams “I Love You But I Don’t Know What To Say†as is John Philip Shenale’s piano. We get out of the country with a more AOR-sounding “Gonna Take A Miracle†and the cover of Laura Nyro’s “Miracle†features more superior piano work, while Ray LaMontagne’s “Roses And Cigarettes†ends this set perfectly, the band laying down a deep atmosphere and Katy’s breathy vocal informing in a neo-country vibe.
Covered is a damned solid music offering from a woman we might not be so familiar with as a singer/songwriter.
