Husband and wife team Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent, better known as Shovels & Rope, know their way around a good cover song. We’ve shared a handful of their covers here at the site over the years, including a couple of cuts from their 2015 collection of covers, Busted Jukebox, Volume 1. From that title, it’s almost as if they knew they’d be releasing more covers at some point. Well, surprise! This week sees the release of Busted Jukebox, Volume 2, following the same format of Volume 1: a wide-range of source material reimagined with the help of some musician friends.
This time around, Shovels & Rope found inspiration from songs by The Breeders, Willie Nelson, Leonard Cohen, the Clash and others. They’re joined by the likes of Brandi Carlile, Rhett Miller and Nicole Atkins. The album is solid throughout with the real strength being in the powerful vocals, especially when Trent and Hearst sing together with their guests. These songs feel loved by the performers. Standouts are an appropriately airy version of The Hollies “The Air That I Breathe”, a foot-stomping rendition of “Death or Glory” by the Clash and a dreamy acoustic cover of Sigur Rós‘ “Untitled 1”.
You can stream the album below ahead of the December 8th release date via Entertainment Weekly, and then find the album wherever you purchase/stream your music.
Cleanup Hitter feat. Brandi Carlile (Bill Carson cover)
Joey feat. Nicole Atkins (Concrete Blonde cover)
Do You Love Me Now feat. Rhett Miller (The Breeders cover)
Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain feat. John Moreland (Willie Nelson cover)
Untitled 1 feat. Matthew Logan Vasquez (Sigur Rós cover)
The Air That I Breathe feat. Indianola (The Hollies cover)
I’m Your Man feat. John Fullbright (Leonard Cohen cover)
Death or Glory feat. Hayes Carll (The Clash cover)
Epic feat. Lera Lynn (Faith No More cover)
You Never Can Tell (Chuck Berry cover)
Check out more from Shovels & Rope at their website.
