The Best Cover EPs of 2011

Posted by Ray Padgett at 10:00 am 2 Responses »
Dec 062011

I have no hard data to back this up, but I suspect that EPs play a larger role in the world of cover songs than they do elsewhere. In the wider world, EPs tend to be an afterthought, a set of rejects or remixes that may or may not be worthwhile. People pay little attention to EPs, and artists act accordingly, saving their real statements for the full-lengths. In our world, though, we see as many EPs as we do proper albums, and they’re every bit as good. An artist may hesitate to put out a “cover album” – still a loaded term in some circles – but in the age of Garageband and Bandcamp, it’s only too easy to record a half dozen covers and toss ‘em out between albums. Therefore, in honor of the EP’s prominence in our world, we present our favorite EPs of 2011 (with an MP3 from each). Continue reading »

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This Week on Bandcamp: Roadkill Ghost Choir, The Shooter McGavins, Colossal Gospel, The Complainer, Crackity Flynn

Posted by Ray Padgett at 12:00 pm No Responses »
Sep 232011

This Week on Bandcamp rounds up our favorite covers to hit the site in the past seven days.

Maybe you’ve heard it mentioned once or twice, but tomorrow marks the 20th anniversary of Nirvana’s Nevermind. In honor of that (and the fact that ~20% of the new covers on Bandcamp this week were Nirvana), we bookend today’s set with two Nirvana covers. Every track’s a keeper today, so much so that we threw in three bonus tracks we just couldn’t leave out. Continue reading »

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Mayer Hawthorne Shows His Disco Groove with Another Chromeo Cover

Posted by Greg Duncan at 9:00 am 1 Response »
Jul 272011

Montreal electrofunkmeisters Chromeo have gradually built a following over their seven-year existence, but have only really broken through in the past year following the release of their third album, Business Casual. The album features 40 minutes of slick, sleazy ’80s revival pop that has packed many a dance floor. This past Tuesday, they released a remix EP for “When The Night Falls,” a track that features none other that Beyoncé’s little sis, Solange. Continue reading »

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Review: Mayer Hawthorne, 'Impressions: The Covers EP'

Posted by Abigail Covington at 12:00 pm 4 Responses »
May 182011

Mayer Hawthorne didn’t crash onto the scene the way other soul revivalists did in 2008. Sharon Jones and Raphael Saadiq cast big shadows that year that proved difficult for other soul revivalists to get out from under. Still, Hawthorne managed to get his voice out there and people tuned in to listen found themselves impressed. “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out” became a stylish indie hit, shepherding many nerdy white kids into the enticing world of soul music. Hawthorne’s debut album A Strange Arrangement managed to propel him onto the scene, but this new covers EP will give Mayer Hawthorne the sticking power he needs to become an indie powerhouse. If nothing else, it will carry fans over until the long-awaited release of his follow up album How Do You Do this fall. Continue reading »

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Download: Mayer Hawthorne Covers Chromeo, Isley Bros on Covers EP

Posted by Ray Padgett at 12:00 pm No Responses »
May 122011

A couple days ago we told you about Mayer Hawthorne’s new covers EP and now he’s dropped the whole set for free. It’s called Impressions (though, ironically, they’re not one of the R&B groups he covers). Over six tracks, the Detroit producer-turned-singer positions himself as an archivist par excellence, digging up forgotten cuts from yesteryear (The Festivals’ “You’ve Got the Makings of a Lover”) and nodding to peer funk revivalists (Chromeo’s “Don’t Turn the Lights On”). Continue reading »

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Quickies: Mayer Hawthorne, The Young Sinclairs, From Exile, The City Music Project, Vehicle Blues

Posted by Ray Padgett at 3:30 pm 1 Response »
May 102011

Quickies rounds up new can’t-miss covers. Download ‘em below.

• Later this week, Detroit soul revivalist Mayer Hawthorne will be dropping a free covers EP on Twitter. The first glimpse is an official recording – finally – of a song he’s been covering live for months. Recorded with his band The County, it’s ELO’s “Mr. Blue Sky.”
MP3: Mayer Hawthorne – Mr. Blue Sky (ELO cover)

• Raleigh quintet The Young Sinclairs just dropped their new collection Don’t Believe In Demos Vol. 1 today, and the first track off side two is a particular treat. It’s a jingle-jangly Byrds-esque cover of Merle Haggard’s outlaw country classic “Running Kind.” You can practically hear Roger McGuinn on 12-string.
MP3: The Young Sinclairs – Running Kind (Merle Haggard cover)

• Atlanta prog-metal band From Exile just dropped a free Nine Inch Nails covers EP on their website. It trades out the glitchy synths for guitars on songs like “Ruiner,” but the most dramatic reinvention is instrumental “A Warm Place,” which positively aches with a slow-melting guitar line.
MP3: From Exile – A Warm Place (Nine Inch Nails cover)

• Electro-rock duo The City Music Project recently dropped this free dance jam on Pink Floyd’s The Wall classic. Would have fit right in with our Full Album Wall double-feature.
MP3: The City Music Project – The Thin Ice (Pink Floyd cover)

• Chicago shoegazer Vehicle Blues create a swirling soundscape on “Sleeping with Tallboy.” Originally East River Pipe, one of the more obscure artists on the Merge Records roster, “Sleeping with Tallboy” now sounds more like “Sleeping with Shrooms.”
MP3: Vehicle Blues – Sleeping with Tallboy (East River Pipe cover)

Check out more Quickies here.

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PRESENTING: Cover Me’s Christmas Mixtape

Posted by Ray Padgett at 2:00 pm 3 Responses »
Dec 232010

Over the past few weeks, artists have been unleashing a blizzard of Christmas covers. From live tapings to unexpected albums, these holiday presents came in all shapes and sizes. We kept up as best we could (see ‘em all here), but so many came in we couldn’t possibly post them all. So instead, we collected our favorite Christmas covers from this year in a special mixtape.

This 60-minute tape, which you can download or stream below, mixes the classics with the obscure. It includes refreshingly original covers of famous hymns and unexpected runs through buried nuggets. It finds indie up-and-comers mingling with longtime favorites. Continue reading »

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Welcome Back Conan! Love, the White Stripes.

Posted by Ray Padgett at 2:00 pm 1 Response »
Nov 082010

Last week we welcomed Lil Wayne back from jail. As soul revivalist Mayer Hawthorne tweeted, “Conan coming back > Weezy coming back.” Agree or not, as of 11pm tonight, we’ll have ‘em both. Conan O’Brien’s new show Conan hits TBS and, after the crazy promotion the station has been doing (you gotta watch this video), it better be good.

As the youngest, hippest late night show, Late Night with Conan O’Brien always featured better music than Leno/Letterman. With Jimmy Fallon recruiting the Roots, though, O’Brien finds himself with more music-cred competition. He starts his comeback strong by bringing back Jack White for the 876th time tonight. The two first met at a Detroit bowling alley when Jack White was still John Gillis and have been buddies ever since. Jack has appeared on various Conan-helmed shows ever since, even briefly reuniting the White Stripes for the Late Night sendoff in 2009. Continue reading »

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