Cover of the Week

BILL CALLAHAN And BONNIE “PRINCE” BILLY Cover STEELY DAN

Posted on by JL

17 November 2020

Bill Callahan and Bonnie “Prince” Billy are two of a kind. Two emotional American songwriters and crooners, each blessed with a characterful voice that stands out in
their emotive works.

The two teamed up, including some friends, for a series of covers. So far they gave
us their version of songs by Cat Stevens, Hank Williams Jr, The Other Years, Dave Rich
and ‘wish you were gay‘ by teenage phenomenon Billie Eilish.

And they just shared another one, featuring their pal Bill Mackay. This time it’s
a song by 70s jazzy art-rockers Steely Dan. Bill & Bonnie picked DEACON BLUES
from the duo’s 1977 masterpiece Aja.

Tune in here…

The original…

Cape Town’s Psychobilly Rockers THE MEDICINE DOLLS Cover THE B-52’S

Posted on by JL

11 November 2020

With time on their hands during these past, science-fiction-like, months,
many artists recorded covers of their favorite songs of other artists. So
did Cape Town‘s midnight psychobilly ramblers THE MEDICINE DOLLS.

They picked the awesome debut single Rock Lobster, released in 1978,
by The B-52’s, the incomparable and fabtastic misfits out of Athens, Georgia

The Dolls gave the track a spooky Medicine twist. Garage-esque, wacky,
but also totally fun. Perfect to start and end all New Year’s Eve parties with.

Watch (hilarious clip) and listen…

The original…

You can find the cover on The Medicine Dolls stirring
debut album Filth And Wisdom. Stream here, buy here.

‘ALICE’ In Darkwave Land – SUPERCHUNK Cover Goth Icons SISTERS OF MERCY

Posted on by JL

2 November 2020

Veteran North-Carolina rockers SUPERCHUNK
just released a dynamite 2-track single.

The first one is a new original called THERE’S A GHOST
and the second stroke a steamy SISTERS OF MERCY
cover of their 1982 goth smash ALICE.

Check it out here…


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The original…

Oh no, we didn’t forget A-side ‘There’s A Ghost‘.
A pulsating crackajack with familiar, energetic vocals
by the passion driven Laura Ballance…


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SUPERCHUNK: Facebook

Italian Synth Act COMMON FLAWS Covers SIOUXSIE AND THE BANSHEES

Posted on by JL

26 October 2020

Giacomo Oberti, the fontman and songwriter of sparkling Italian guitar/synth
pop combo The Bankrobber goes disco. With his fresh project Common Flaws
he aims at the dance floor.

The first effort is a cover of Happy House, a darkish single by goth queen Siouxsie and her Banshees. The song was released 40 years ago, on 8 March 1980 and featured on their Kaleidoscope album.

With an ongoing deep bass beat Common Flaws gives the already vibrant rhythm of Happy House a 90s techno resonance. The sampled, female vocals come from the 1999 romantic comedy Notting Hill with Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant.

This is the happy house
We’re happy here in the happy house
To forget ourselves and pretend all’s well
There is no hell, ooh-ooh

Watch the cool clip here and feel the vibe …

COMMON FLAWS: Facebook

Tender And Gentle – Nashville Crooners LAMBCHOP Cover STEVIE WONDER

Posted on by JL

21 October 2020

Nashville crooners LAMBCHOP follow the row
of artists doing a cover in these wacky times.

They picked the song Golden Lady from the 1973 LP Innervisions by soul icon
STEVIE WONDER and maestro Kurt Wagner gives it a tender and gentle touch
with his moody voice.

Listen…

The original…

LAMBCHOP: Facebook

DEUX FURIEUSES Cover JOHN LENNON – Listen To ‘GIMME SOME TRUTH’

Posted on by JL

12 October 2020

British post-punk duo DEUX FURIEUSES celebrates the immortal icon
John Lennon‘s 80th birthday (born 9 October 1940) with a riveting
cover of his plain-spoken protest song Gimme Some Truth from
1971 album Imagine.

A song that fits this loud and clear duo like a glove.

“Here is our cover of ‘Gimme Some Truth’ by John Lennon who
inspired us to play music and see through the hypocrites and the
fuckers. Happy Birthday, John, you thought tricky dicky was bad.”

I’ve had enough of reading things
By neurotic, psychotic, pig-headed politicians
All I want is the truth
Just give me some truth

Right here…


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The original…

deux furieuses: Facebook

(photos via deux furieuses)

THE POLYPHONIC SPREE Cover THE STONES – Here’s ‘SHE’S A RAINBOW

Posted on by JL

6 October 2020

Remember THE POLYPHONIC SPREE? That choral 20+ band out of Dallas, Texas.
They released six albums between 2002 and 2014 with Together We’re Heavy (2004)
as their best, must-hear one. And live, as I experienced myself, they were truly something-I’ve-never-seen-and-heard before. An overwhelming, spiritual gospel happening, nothing
less than awesome. An on cloud nine dance and sing celebration. Ecstasy in motion.

Early September the collective released a 6-track covers EP titled We Hope It Finds You Well with their interpretations of songs by Abba, Wings, The Association, Monkees, Rush
and rock icons The Stones.

SHE’S A RAINBOW is the one they picked from The Rolling Stones‘ gigantic catalog.
One of their best crackers to my ears with that sublime, repetitive piano melody.

It sounds as if The Spree just copied that original piano play, but they gave the
Infectious humdinger their own touch with their uplifting, soulful harmonies.

Check it out…


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The Stones original…

THE POLYPHONIC SPREE: Facebook

KURT VILE Shares The JOHN PRINE Song ‘HOW LUCKY’ He Recorded Together With The Late Country Legend

Posted on by JL

The legendary American country singer/songwriter JOHN PRINE passed away on
7 April due to that horrible coronavirus. He was 73. The praise from young and old musicians around the world was enormous and several covers of his songs already
came up afterward to honor Prine‘s huge talent and great career.

KURT VILE recorded two Prine songs some time ago. Speed Of Sound Of Loneliness
and How Lucky which he recorded with the man himself.

The two tracks will be on his new 5-track EP called Speed, Sound, Lonely KV together with a cover of a Jack Clement song, as well as two originals. The EP was recorded over a span of four years at The Butcher Shoppe studio in Nashville.

Vile about singing with Prine: “Probably the single most special musical moment in my life.”

The duet performance…

The original…

JOHN PRINE: Biography

KATE BUSH Cover – ‘Running Up That Hill’ By AERIAL EAST

Posted on by JL

21 September 2020

New-York based singer-songwriter AERIAL EAST wants to tell stories
we don’t hear often. “I want to humanise different characters.”

She recently signed to Partisan Records. Her first track is a cover of
Kate Bush masterstroke RUNNING UP THAT HILL, which came out
35 years ago, on 5 August 2020.

Partisan Records: “With equal parts reverie and intention, her version of the classic track showcases the unvarnished intimacy East is able to create between herself and the listener.”

East: “I’ve been a huge Kate Bush fan since my late teens/early twenties when her ‘Wuthering Heights’ videos sent me down a never-ending Kate Bush rabbit hole. That song has been a karaoke go-to for me for years and ‘Hounds of Love’ is one of my favorite records ever. I put
it on when I am sad, and it does a lot of joyful heavy lifting for me.”

East‘s interpretation is a stripped to the bone one with intimate piano touches, almost unrecognizable, but gracious and soulful. Notable version, ghostly voice.

The animated video clip…

Stream/buy via Bandcamp…

AERIAL EAST: Facebook

Really Excorsistic Music For Really Excorsistic People – CHELSEA WOLFE Covers THE CRAMPS

Posted on by JL

8 September 2020

(Artwork LP Wolfe)

A couple of months ago a cracking covers compilation honoring psychobilly icons
The Cramps hit our messed-up planet. Also messed-up is the oddball title of the album: Really Bad Music For Really Bad People: The Cramps as Heard Through the Meat Grinder of Three One G . Got it?

The line-up of the participating artists features among
others: TV Set, Metz, Qui, Zeis! feat Mike Patton, and Daugthers.

The one that did and still does my head in is the darktastic performance by doom and gloom priestess CHELSEA WOLFE turning SHEENA’S IN A GOTH GANG into a back-breaking industrial juggernaut. Really excorsistic music for really excorsistic.

Big beats from Badsville!.

Press play and release the human flies…


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The original…

CHELSEA WOLFE: Facebook

(photo on top: FB Chelsea Wolfe)