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(NODEPRESSION.NET) -- Whether he speaks through the whisper of six acoustic strings or electrically rages through a distortion-heavy effects pedal, Neil Young rarely has a problem getting his musical message across. This two-disc tribute gives Young fans a chance to hear his music from a purely female perspective.

Tanya Donelly kicks things off nicely with "Heart Of Gold", which features a melodica in place of Young's harmonica; on the second disc, Donelly's former Throwing Muses bandmate Kristin Hersh puts her own stamp on "Like A Hurricane". The volume is turned up a bit with Euro-Trash Girl's treatment of the title track and Veruca Salt's wailing guitars on "Burned", gleefully contradicting the more sedate mood on the majority of the collection.

Standout performances include Lori McKenna's heartbreaking rendition of "The Needle And The Damage Done", Josie Cotton's "Cowgirl In The Sand", and Carmen Townsend's spirited take on "Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere". The best track comes from Jill Sobule, who sets the bar pretty high with a banjo-infused version of "Down By The River" (she cheats the concept just a tad, enlisting John Doe to sing with her).

The performances are fairly straightforward, and while not every single interpretation quite gets the job done, Young likely would appreciate most of the attempts. Listeners might be surprised at how many of his songs translate well to a female voice.

Proceeds go to Casting For Recovery, a nonprofit organization that provides support and education to women fighting breast cancer.

-- DEVIN GRANT
Copyright c. 2008 No Depression Inc. and/or Devin Grant.