An overlooked cover tune VII

Among R.E.M.'s many songs over the decades, "Fall On Me" contains some of Michael Stipe's most memorable lead vocals.  Released in 1986, it's one of the band's best efforts.  Instead of opting for a radical reworking of the tune, Cry Cry Cry, a strong trio of singer-songwriters Dar Williams, Lucy Kaplansky, and Richard Shindell, honors the original arrangement wisely.  The result, with Williams as lead singer, is just as compelling as the original, and it proves that the right combo of singers and acoustic players can pull off a credible rendition of a good alt-rock tune.