The last time I’d heard anything from Petra Haden, she’d finished up her regular gig with That Dog and had put out a solo album of her own, Imaginaryland. An accomplished classical violinist with musical connections all over the place and credits on tons of modern rock albums, Haden could’ve put out a star-studded affair with a big, bold southern California sound. Or she could’ve gone the Tracy Bonham route, turning her violin skills into a gimmick to draw people in. But Imaginaryland was none of those things. What Haden did instead was put together an album based almost entirely on her own vocal stylings. It was a charming piece of work in its own right, and the formula worked surprisingly well. But it had to be a one-time thing, right?

Petra Haden Sings: The Who Sell Out would indicate otherwise. Constructed from three years’ worth of material sung into an eight-track recorder, Haden’s latest album is another foray into the vocals-only world. But this time around, the sound is fuller, fast approaching Medulla standards of production (if not in outright weirdness). “I Can See For Miles” is a great example; aside from the lack of drums, it’s easy to forget Haden’s singing all the parts—instruments included—on the Who cover. It’s a far more ambitious album than Imaginaryland and shows that Haden is determined to carve out her own particular niche.