1. ‘Ventilator Blues’ by DEAP VALLY
(Cover ‘Marriage album)
Sad news came in a couple of weeks ago. L.A.’s blues rock tandem
Deap Vally – Lindsay Troy and Julie Edwards – one of the most exciting
and dynamite acts, of the past 10 years call it a day.
But not without a big bang. They say farewell with an extensive North America tour.
They’ll release a new vinyl edition of their superb debut LP Sistrionix, out Spring 2024.
And their recent roasting cover of The Stones‘ VENTILATOR BLUES
track from their 1972 LP Exile On Main Street is spot-on awesome.
Sounds like this classic was written for them.
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2. ‘Crystal Closet Queen’ by PIXIES
(Photo by Turn Up The Volume)
Musical Nashville legend Leon Russell, born
Claude Russell Bridge in 1942, passed away in
2016, at the age of 74.
To celebrate the genial, all-around, eccentric-looking icon, a 10-track
tribute album came out last September, titled A Song For Leon.
The imperishable noise rockers Pixies are part of the LP’s celebrity cast,
with a red-hot-blooded version of Russell‘s 1971 classic boogie woogie cracker
Crystal Closet Queen.
Fireworks.
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3. ‘Nookie’ by FIDLAR
Press photo
Los Angeles punks Fidlar (Fuck It Dog, Life’s a Risk) released
a new 6-track EP last March, called That’s Life.
Shortly after, they shared their take on Limp Bizkit‘ 1999 hit Nookie.
Nasty. Rowdy. Punktastic.
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4. ‘Personal Jesus’ by IGGY POP and TREVOR HORN
British famous singer-songwriter-producer TREVOR HORN (now 74),
who scored a No 1 UK hit in 1979 with his one-time project Buggles
and their pop earworm Video Killed The Radio Star (more than 323 million
streams on Spotify) released an album of 11 covers early this month. It’s
titled Echoes: Ancient & Modern.
One of the covered songs is Personal Jesus, the 24-carat Depeche Mode classic
from 1990. Horn invited eternal punk Iggy Pop to do the singing. An inch-perfect
decision. At the age of 76, he still sounds like he wants to be your dog.
Bone-chilling.
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5. ‘Because The Night’ by SUEDE
Since their reunion in 2010 glam pop legends Suede got
tremendously active with 4 albums and constant touring.
Last February they did something really amazing. They performed
at the BBC’s Maida Vale Studios for their Piano Room Month‘s series
with artists’ playing the piano room with the BBC Concert Orchestra.
Suede choose to cover the 1978 classic cracker Beacuse The Night,
co-written by Bruce Springsteen and recorded for eternity by Patti Smith.
The band’s take is astonishing. The orchestral magnificence is grand and
frontman Brett Anderson‘s vocal effort is phenomenal. Pure tour de force.
Formidable.
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6. ‘Why D’Ya Do It’ by SHIRLEY MANSON and PEACHES
A tribute album for the legendary, singular, and utterly charismatic
Marianne Faithfull came out a couple of weeks ago.
One of the most notable interpretations of Faithfull songs is by Garbage‘s Shirley Manson and queer queen Peaches who turn the explicit 1979 song WHY’D YA DO IT into a disco stomper.
.
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7. ‘Cello Song’ by FONTAINES D.C.
(Photo by Turn Up The Volume)
Last July a new Nick Drake tribute album, titled
The Endless Coloured Ways – The Songs Of Nick Drake
came out.
Folk songsmith Drake (1948-1974) was/is an inspiration for many singer-songwriters.
His 3 LPs Five Leaves Left (1969), Bryter Layter (1970) and Pink Moon (1972) were and
are still widely lauded. The trouble artist died following an overdose of amitriptyline,
an antidepressant, aged only 26.
New Irish post-punk heroes Fontaines D.C. were invited too. They picked ‘Cello Song
from Drake‘s 1969 debut LP Five Leaves Left. The Irishmen’s version is just splendid in
their own haunting way.
Sublime.
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8. ‘Purple Rain’ by DOLLY PARTON
At the age of 77, the fabulous country superstar
still is working longer than 9 to 5 per day.
And to prove her never-ending productivity, she released her
49th (!) LP last month, named Rockstar. Yep, Parton‘s first rock LP.
It features several big-name collaborations.
I don’t own a Dolly album, I didn’t follow her career but as so many million people
I know her hits, and I do love her formidable voice – the heroine again on this record –
and her I do what I want attitude.
The supreme standout track is her version of Purple Rain,
the 1984 blockbuster hit by late musical genius Prince.
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9. ‘On The Other Side’ by NICK CAVE and DEBBIE HARRY
Last June the late Jeffrey Lee Pierce, the wayward mastermind of underrated
indie mavericks Gun Club from L.A. would have celebrated his 65th birthday.
As part of an ode album The Task Has Overwhelmed Us Debbie Harry and
Nick Cave covered JLP’s beauty On The Other Side. A pearl he only played live
for a while.
Goosebumps.
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10. ‘Dead Flowers’ by MAREN MORRIS
Last March, a country rock tribute album for the immortal Stones was
put together by renowned producer Robert Deaton. It features 14 covers
of 14 classics of one of the greatest bands in history.
My pick: Dead Flowers (1971) by American singer-songwriter star Maren Morris.
.