Switching out the crooning piano beauty of the Kate and Anna McGarrigle original, Talk to Me of Mendocino is given a revitalised, acoustic turn. John Smith and Katherine Priddy take on the farewell to New York with a unique spin in this loving cover of a McGarrigle classic. That touching rendition of longing for placement and the need for someone to take away to it is reflected in the covers that followed this McGarrigle duo piece. It is utilised well and far beyond the streets of New York with this Priddy and Smith collaboration, which understands the fundamentals of any good cover track.
To make a track of this grandeur their own, Smith and Priddy mark a respectful and unique cover that trades string accompaniments for the beauty of acoustics controlled by Smith. It is impossible to extract those viola charms entirely, and they do make a limited entrance in this cover of Talk to Me of Mendocino, a surprising turn for the pair at the heart of this. It is not the quality that is the surprise, it should be indicative of the talents of Priddy and Smith that this piece works so beautifully well, but that relies on how grand a song the McGarrigle piece is. Edging the line between respectful cover and new take on an old track, Priddy and Smith perform and produce arguably the best cover available of this classic track.
Key to the success of this cover though is the imitable tones that the McGarrigle duo had first put forward. Despite the crooning of New York, Priddy and Smith’s work here shows no intonation or real connection to the Big Apple, yet it is pure and convincing that such a connection could exist down the line. That is the crucial part of this piece, a commitment and sincere dedication to engaging that tender beauty. Priddy’s opening, isolated lyrics are powerful, and Smith soon joins her with that and an acoustic guitar in tow. Smith’s work on the acoustic guitar is infectiously grand, and it opens up the chance, once again, for Priddy to declare her vocal range and talents. They are as clear and crisp as they can be throughout Talk to Me of Mendocino, a delicate arrangement that stays faithful not just to the McGarrigle sisters but to the unique talents of Priddy and Smith.
That is a hard form to find. Cover tracks are often totally different or identical to the track that inspired such a move. Richard Hawley’s The Ballad of a Thin Man cover is an articulate understanding that the best way to demonstrate love for a piece of work is to make it your own, without changing the message. The message of a track can change through the tone of instrumentals, as it does for Hawley’s cover of Bob Dylan and as it did for Elvis Costello’s (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love and Understanding. Priddy and Smith do not change much beyond the instrumentals that form this track of longing days and the passage of time that comes from the universally personal momentum such a track has. Priddy and Smith excel in understanding that and making it their own.
