What is it with covers albums? There seem to be a plethora of ‘alternative’ versions of classic tracks recorded recently from Cat Power’s Jukebox, via Shelby Lynne’s Just A Little Lovin to Mark Ronson’s, erm, Versions

Vetiver add to the list with an album of songs that have inspired them – which sounds like it’s trying to recapture Topanga Canyon’s glory days. All the tracks date from the late 60s and early 70s, and most are American in origin. Not that you’d necessarily know this is a covers album. With the possible exception of Hawkwind’s ‘Hurry On Sundown’ or Loudon Wainwright III’s ‘Swimming Song’, this is a pretty obscure bunch.

On first listen, Thing Of The Past is in danger of being mistaken for aural wallpaper, so relaxed and at-ease the band appear to be. But that would be a mistake. There are moments where a little more dynamism or difference in tempo would have made for a more exciting album, but there is beauty and reverence in almost all of the songs that more than makes up for it.

‘Roll On, Babe’ revitalizes this Ronnie Lane track with a misty weightlessness. Biff Rose's "To Baby" and Loudon Wainwright's "Swimming Song" contain timelessly catchy and folksy hooks that deserve to be re-presented to the general population. Achingly beautiful closer ‘I’m In A Good Place Now’ sounds like Flying Burrito Brother-period Gram Parsons at his best - which is never a bad thing. (Miles Taylor)