Easy Come Easy Go

Marianne Faithfull’s hard life and resiliency have been well noted, but the breadth of her interpretive musical abilities is what makes her the notable star attraction she’s become among her cult audience. Her voice is a naturally weathered wonder, crackling and croaking with sublime precision making every song sound as if it had been written with her in mind. This 2009 collection of covers with producer Hal Willner overseeing the arrangements is an eclectic, flawless mix of surprises packed with enough special guests for an all-star extravaganza — Antony Hegarty, Rufus Wainwright, Jarvis Cocker, Nick Cave and Keith Richards, for starters. Covers range from Dolly Parton’s “Down from Dover” to Randy Newman’s “In Germany Before the War,” Smokey Robinson’s “Ooh Baby Baby,” the Decemberists’ “The Crane Wife 3” (with Cave), and Merle Haggard’s “Sing Me Back Home” (with Richards). Faithfull is the great equalizer, putting Judee Sill into context with Neko Case, Billie Holiday in league with alt-folk’s Espers. There is no genre that could keep Faithfull as a member. She doesn’t seem to have a limit.