Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs have a real nice thing going on with this series of covers collections. They’re clearly fans, not to mention friends, and they play music together as just that. The third installment of Under the Covers (Shout! Factory) flows chronologically, landing listeners in the ’80s, the decade when Hoffs, incidentally, had her biggest success as a pop star. Maintaining a range similar to the first two volumes, the duo doesn’t tackle anything particularly obscure here; most of the artists covered—from Echo and the Bunnymen to The Smiths to the Go-Gos to Tom Petty—had a hit or two, and in some cases, like Petty’s, are mainstream success stories. Thus, anyone coming to the collection should be more than satisfied, and whether they know every song or not, at least a few sing­alongs will inevitably ensue.

And that seems to be the whole point of these collections, both for the listener and for Sweet and Hoffs themselves. This is a fun, lighthearted endeavor that aims to please and scratches our never-ending itch for good pop music. When push comes to shove, neither artist is a world­shaker exactly, and they seem to recognize this. There are no dramatic rearrangements or clever deconstructions here. They play it fairly straight, never asserting themselves too much, but always giving the tunes the TLC they deserve.

Both artists are notably good at what they do. Sweet is one of a dwindling number of musicians who recognizes the historical value of the term “Beatlesque” and because of that knows a great hook when he hears one. And Hoffs, well Christ, if you grew up with The Bangles and had a pulse, you fell in love with her one way or another. Sweet deserves credit for being a crackerjack musician, seizing on the pure-pop essence of an English Beat song and illuminating why “Free Falling” is as close to being universally beloved as a song can get these days. Though in her mid-50s, Hoffs is an excellent foil to Sweet, playing the coquettish pop ingénue to perfection. She’s the karaoke partner of one’s dreams, with a voice that at times feels almost too perfect. Gloss aside, it takes a cold, cold heart not to be moved by her aching takes on “They Don’ Know About Us” and “Our Lips Are Sealed.” In the end, Under the Covers, Vol. 3, like its predecessors, is a low-key treat, presenting the opportunity to hear two talented friends have some fun together.