Jun 162014
 

Now in its fifth series, A.V. Undercover from the A.V. Club has churned out some memorable performances over the years. Although the break was a little longer than usual this time, this next batch of songs should add plenty more to a growing list of interesting combinations. There’s some low-hanging fruit out there, with oft-covered greats like TV on the Radio’s “Wolf Like Me” and Mountain Goats’ “The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton”, but there are going to be some tricky ones too, like Arrested Development’s seminal “Tennessee,” and the Go-Go’s dated “We Got the Beat”. Continue reading »

Jun 132014
 

In the Spotlight showcases a cross-section of an artist’s cover work. View past installments, then post suggestions for future picks in the comments!

There is very little that can be considered “new” in the world of popular music — everything builds on something that came before, and influences get combined in different ways. So the idea that you can declare the inventor of a musical genre is ridiculous. Uncle Tupelo didn’t invent alt-country, a mix of country, rock and punk (check out, say, Jason and the Scorchers, the Long Ryders, Rank and File, X, or the Blasters, for example, for proof that these strains were already well mixed when Uncle Tupelo emerged). But it cannot be denied that Uncle Tupelo’s debut album No Depression, which gave its name to the influential message board and magazine that spearheaded the movement, helped to kickstart the genre’s popularity and became one of its cornerstones.

And it all started with a bunch of high school kids.
Continue reading »

Jun 102014
 

Neil Young may be guilty of inspiring too many bad rock and roll bands. If you weren’t already in a band in 1969, hearing “Down By The River” convinced you that anyone could play rock and roll. With an extended two chord jam and deceptively simple, awkwardly phrased guitar solos, the song was immediately accessible. Thousands of garage bands were formed with what seemed like the sole purpose of butchering this tune. Continue reading »