Benson Boone — When We Were Young (Adele cover)
Benson Boone gets clowned on, but dude can sing (and, yes, backflip). “When We Were Young” is not exactly an easy song to nail. But, at a tour stop in Columbus, he did just that—one of many covers he’s been doing on the road.
BRAINSTORM — The Boys Of Summer (Don Henley cover)
Every summer comes, inevitably, more “Boys of Summer” covers. This metal-ish version comes from German power-metal vets BRAINSTORM (all caps so you know they’re serious). Singer Andy B. Franck says: “Even though ‘The Boys Of Summer’ deals with rather nostalgic themes of ‘summer love’ and the memory of a past relationship, for me – at the time a 13-year-old – it was, beyond the metal anthems of the 80s, a great song that I associated with summer, girls and the corresponding feeling for many, many years…Even today, this song still evokes great memories for me, and since it’s also a song about questioning the past, this track fits perfectly into our times.”
Fat Concubine — These Boots Are Made for Walking (Nancy Sinatra cover)
Easily the least-recognizable cover on this list, so much so they changed the name (to “When we kick Their front door”). It’ll be well over a minute before you even recognize it.
Photo Ops — The Waiting (Tom Petty cover)
A simple, beautiful Americana-leaning cover of one of Petty’s classics. Terry Price’s delicate voice really sells it. It’s off the band’s forthcoming covers album Opening Up To Strangers. Their next single, tackling Madonna’s “Like a Prayer” just dropped.
Puddles Pity Party — Take One Last Look (Tom Waits cover)
I saw the sad-clown Puddles Pity Party open for Weird Al this summer, and one song he did was “Come On Up to the House” by Tom Waits. It became a big audience singalong—and it’s a wonderful thing to see a giant shed of people singing along to Tom Waits, whether or not they know whose song it is. Puddles certainly knows though. He’s clearly a real head, as his latest cover tackles a real deep cut.
Skegss — If It Makes You Happy (Sheryl Crow cover)
One of a few great “Like a Version” covers this month (check out Thornhill’s Lady Gaga in the second section). Sheryl Crow covers keep coming, and they keep being grate. It’s like if Pavement went country-pop.
Sweet Nobody — Bridges and Balloons (Joanna Newsom cover)
From our writeup: “Bridges and Balloons,” the opening track of Newsom’s debut, is played like classic ’90s indie pop, with a full rock band arrangement and peppy energy. It’s a far cry from the original, which is just Newsom’s harp and voice. Though Sweet Nobody don’t really deviate too much from the vocal melody and tempo, it feels like a completely different song.
Taylor Rae — Althea (Grateful Dead cover)
While “Althea” is not really a Grateful Dead deep cut—they played it a ton in the ’80s—you don’t see that era’s songs covered as much as the ’70s stuff (well, barring “Touch of Grey”). Taylor Rae’s new version is beautiful though, and shows how much there is still to be mined from the Dead catalog.
Waxahatchee — Where’s Your Love Now (This Is Lorelei cover)
Indie alt-country royalty love This Is Lorelei. Even as This Is Lorelei’s Nate Amos has refocused on his main project, buzzy duo Water From Your Eyes, others keep covering his solo songs. MJ Lenderman did a great version of “Dancing in the Club” earlier this year for a deluxe edition of Amos’s solo debut, and Waxahatchee has recently added “Where’s Your Love Now” to their live sets. For the deluxe edition of the deluxe edition, perhaps?
10 Years — No Light, No Light (Florence + The Machine cover)
Brian Vodinh, guitarist for the Tennessee alt-rockers, says: “I’ve been a huge fan of Florence + The Machine since the Lungs album came out and I still have her Ceremonials record in my Top 5 albums so I’ve always wanted to cover one of these songs. ‘No Light, No Light’ felt like something we could really make work for 10 Years. I felt like it had the potential to rock and have a lot of energy but the smaller moments would bring out Jesse [Hasek]’s voice that I thought would be awesome and emotional.”
The Best of the Rest
A Killer’s Confession — Heart-Shaped Box (Nirvana cover)
Beverly Glenn-Copeland — Save the Children (Marvin Gaye cover)
BOY SODA — I Write Sins Not Tragedies (Panic! At the Disco cover)
Brandi Carlile ft. Lucius — Uninvited (Alanis Morissette cover)
Brandon Victor Dixon — Hotel California (The Eagles cover)
Brass Against — No More Tears (Ozzy Osbourne cover)
Charley Crockett — Bad Company (Bad Company cover)
CMAT — Sports Car (Tate McRae cover)
Downcast — Just Want You to Know (Backstreet Boys cover)
FRAYLE — Summertime Sadness (Lana Del Rey cover)
Galactic Empire — Pirates Of The Caribbean (Hans Zimmer cover)
Hinds — Girl, so confusing featuring Lorde (Charli XCX cover)
Iron & Wine & Ben Bridwell — Luther (Kendrick Lamar & SZA cover)
Jake Owen — Them Old Love Songs (Waylon Jennings cover)
Jennifer Alvarado — I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) (The Proclaimers cover)
Keith Johnson & Vasti Jackson — Hound Dog (Big Mama Thornton cover)
Kenny Dope feat. Róisín Murphy — Born Under Punches (Talking Heads cover)
Mansionair — Wicked Game (Chris Isaak cover)
Mavis Staples — Beautiful Stranger (Kevin Morby cover)
Mitski — Let My Love Open the Door (Pete Townshend cover)
Natural Wonder Beauty Concept — Wicked Game (Chris Isaak cover)
Olivia Dean — The Dress (Dijon cover)
Orchid in the Ivy — Beds Are Burning (Midnight Oil cover)
Samm Bennett — Heroes (David Bowie cover)
Slow Joy — Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now (The Smiths cover)
The Sophs — For the First Time (Mac DeMarco cover)
Structure Sounds — Back to Black (Amy Winehouse cover)
Suede — Hungry Heart (Bruce Springsteen cover)
Steve Knightley — The Boys of Summer (Don Henley cover)
Thornhill — Paparazzi (Lady Gaga cover)
Thurston Moore — Temptation Inside Your Head (The Velvet Underground cover)
Wisp — Yellow (Coldplay cover)
Zach Meadows — Burn (Usher cover)
Check out previous months’ best covers lists.
