Review of Varshons
by Phil Mongredien
From Q, June 2009
For a man who first attracted attention via some inspired covers - Luka, Different Drum and Mrs Robinson - it's surprising it's taken Evan Dando so long to get around to releasing an entire album of them. Recorded with former Butthole Surfer Gibby Haynes, Varshons succeeds thanks to an inspired breadth of material, with tracks originally by useless shock punk GG Allin and Christina Aguilera nestling alongside the more predictable Gram Parsons and Wire. Meanwhile, Dirty Robot, originally by Dutch duo Arling & Cameron and with a vocal by Kate Moss here, finds Dando a long way outside his comfort zone, knee-deep in squelching electronica.
3 stars