If you have been a music fan for any length of time, the cover song can be a delightful change of pace and a new way of seeing a beloved song. Or conversely, it can seem like a violation of one of your favorite tunes. That acoustic guitar player in the corner of the coffee shop can either deliver a well-known number in a refreshing new way, or depressingly remind you of the much better original version.

Thankfully, worship leader Cory Asbury delivers his covers project in the refreshing way, and over the course of about forty minutes, he delivers ten rock and roll classics in a warm acoustic tone that brings to mind that coffee shop corner late on a Friday night, where the feel of the music and the smell of the coffee beans grinding combine just right. Or perhaps these cover songs sound more like they were recorded around a campfire on a summer camp out.

Asbury clearly has a love for these songs, and there is a consistent and simple acoustic tone all throughout the album, even though the songs range from the bombastic rock of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" to the melancholy folk-rock of the Counting Crows "Round Here" and Credence Clearwater Revival's soulful classic "Have You Ever Seen The Rain." That's a wide range of sounds, and Asbury delivers each one in a steady and arresting way.

But even the almighty acoustic guitar treatment cannot save some of the cornball songs here. Shania Twain's "Still The One," and the country music inspirational standard "I Hope You Dance," are still awful songs, but the fact they "kind of work" here is a testament to how Asbury approaches all this material. (I highly suspect that the inclusion of some of these songs is a gift to a family member or two.)

But there are enough wonderful moments here to make up for it. The hushed version of "Don't Stop Believin'" adds a new texture to the introspective lyrics that are surprisingly poignant when divorced from the 80's bombast the original song is known for. Peter Gabriel's masterpiece love song "In Your Eyes" works wonderfully here as well, with Asbury putting the full focus on that wonderful melody. The Goo Goo Doll's "Iris" likewise captures the heart of that song without the bluster of the original. (This song is paired with the southern gospel standard "You Are My Sunshine" to great effect in the track listing.) Fleetwood Mac's haunting "Landslide" finishes the album in fine fashion, and you might wonder what you just heard when the music finally fades out.

Cory Asbury clearly has a connection to every song here, and with a soft, expert touch he has unexpectedly released a wonderful batch of tunes that capture just what a great song can do when you strip away all the artifice and studio trickery. Cover To Cover is a welcome surprise in a dark, cold time of the year, and I can only say "here's to volume two!"

- Review date: 1/29/25, written by Alex Caldwell of Jesusfreakhideout.com