May 312009
 

Cover News is a weekly feature where I sum up the week’s cover-related news, whether it’s new to the world or just new to me. Anything that doesn’t fit in my regular thematic posts I think my readers would enjoy, be it a youtube video, a blog shout-out, or a cool-looking new release. I also post all the submissions I have gotten from record labels and artists. Send suggestions or submissions to the email address on the right.

This Week’s News

First and foremost, let me direct your attention to Thursday’s cover debut: Germany’s own derpferdheissthorst takes on David Bowie’s “Ziggy Stardust” by popular demand here. Over 500 people have already downloaded it – what are you waiting for?

After you’ve given that a few listen, broaden your horizons with another great covers mixtape from Highly Rec’d A few of ’em come from yours truly, and you can get ’em all here.Get on the list for future tapes by emailing highlyrecd@gmail.com.

Fleet Foxes fans will get a kick out of lead singer Robin Pecknold’s project White Antelope covering a few traditional songs and one Dylan classic. Aquarium Drunkard rounds ’em up here.

Robin covering Dylan may not be a shock (he’d done it previously on “I Shall Be Released” with Wilco), but when the chair of the Democratic National Committee takes on a tune, that’s worth a notice. CNN reports that, in his time off from running the nation’s majority party, Tim Kaine is a harmonica virtuoso, and recently teamed up with Boyd Tinsley of Dave Matthews Band to jam on a few tunes. Read about it here, then pray someone videotaped it.

Speaking of Wilco, they’ve got a cover of Woody Guthrie’s “The Jolly Banker” available for a download and donation pledge on their website. For more Guthrie, check out Bono and the U2 boys paying homage.

Wee Arlo Guthrie’s still kickin’ himself though and is the place to go for nasal-folk covers. Listen to a few from a recent live set here.

Regular readers here know that every month I post covers of every song on a given album (new one coming Monday!). Well music news blog Stereogum has taken up the idea, compiling a new version of every track on the Flaming Lips’ The Soft Bulletin. Listen to everyone from Ben Folds to The Bad Plus thisaway.

A lot of blog talk celebrating Morrissey’s fiftieth birthday a few weeks back. The Music Slut put together a neat cover collection here or, if you want to go further back, you can check out a ton of covers of the Smiths “Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want” over at Chromewaves.

The only thing music fans love more than making lists is getting pissed off at other peoples’. Well prepare to be irked by the Denver Entertainment Examiner’s list of “10 Great Covers.” Jack Johnson WTF??

Trailing American Idol contestant Kris Allen pulled a surprising win last week. I like to think he was helped by this acoustic version of Kanye West’s “Heartless.” How does it compare to The Fray’s?

For those too good for A.I. check out some new indie-tastic covers, from The Hold Steady taking on Bryan Adams to Vampire Weekend’s Tom Petty. Then delve even deeper with this Bats For Lashes cover by Josh Reichmann.

The Mountain Goats cover of Ace of Base’s “The Sign” gets a lot of blog love, but a bigger full choral version has been uncovered by Music, Birds and Cheerios.

I’ve never thought of Jane’s Addiction as a cover band, but their new massive box set has takes on the Grateful Dead and Bob-Dylan-cum-Bauhaus (say what?). Read about this behemoth here.

Though your musical tastes may have moved on, perhaps Korn played a role in the adolescent angst of your preteen days. If so, relive the memories by anticipating their covers album. And have you heard, Limp Bizkit is back together!

Finally, we’re going to go back to a classic: Booker T. Jones. His new instrumental album finds him ditching the MG’s for alright replacements Neil Young and the Drive-By Truckers and features quite a few organ-tastic covers. Read a nicely done review of Booker’s “Hey Ya” over at CokeMachineGlow.

This Week’s Submissions

SWAK – Demolition Girl (The Saints)

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