10. Various Artists — Anthems: A Celebration Of Broken Social Scene’s You Forgot It In People
Over twenty years have passed since Broken Social Scene’s cult-classic You Forgot It in People was released. This tribute cover album re-imagines the full album with contributions from a variety of indie bands. Of course, Maggie Rogers and Sylvan Esso’s take on “Anthems For A Seventeen Year-Old Girl” is a must-listen, with its dream pop update to the iconic chant of “park that car, drop that phone, sleep on the floor, dream about me.” Some covers lean into the somber, going sadder than their originals (“Lover’s Spit,” “Looks Just Like The Sun,” “Almost Crimes”); others go boppier (“Late Nineties Bedroom Rock of the Missionaries”). The Middle Kids version of “Cause = Time” maintains the energy of the original but adds a little more twang. Toro y Moi double down on the reverb feedback elements of the original in their version of “Stars and Sons.” There’s something for everyone on this cover album celebrating Social Scene’s big-break album. – Sara Stoudt
9. Mavis Staples — Sad and Beautiful World
How can it be that Mavis Staples can still pull off work of this caliber, after over 70 years of performing? Starting as a child member of her father’s gospel group, The Staple Singers, she has just never stopped. Acclaim and appreciation has varied, but her commitment never has, and the purple patch she has been plowing, since, broadly, 2007, after being taken up and produced by, in turn, Ry Cooder, Jeff Tweedy, Ben Harper and, now, Phil Cook, seems boundless.
Of late she has sought out songs that less overtly reflect her staunch service to the Lord, manifesting more in songs that address humanitarian principles and human rights. No change here, with songs by Tom Waits, Curtis Mayfield, Leonard Cohen and Gillian Welch, amongst others, The title track is actually from Mark Linkous, the deceased Sparklehorse man, which may surprise, but Staples gifts the song as moving and graceful elegy, fit both for the writer and the world in general.
Another unexpected credit is of Porter Wagoner, whose “Satisfied Mind” gets a full country to southern soul transformation. Her rendition of Cohen’s “Anthem” is peerless, taking a moment to sink in, as her cracked delivery mingles with some Preservation Hall brass. By contrast, Waits’ “Chicago,” which opens the set, is a raw and eviscerating blues chugger, enlivened by the guitar of not only Derek Trucks, but Buddy Guy as well. While we are talking guitarists, it is Bonnie Raitt who pops up on the closing number, “Everybody Needs Love,” with crackles with a peak Stax-y skitter.
In this compendium of highlights, where only one of the songs is a new one, it is hard to pick any, but, if pushed, perhaps the way Staples’ strips out any vestige of secularity from Frank Ocean’s “Godspeed,” rendering it positively hymnal.
Bringing in famous friends is always a given in this sort of set, so the list of others involved is long. A returning Jeff Tweedy appears twice. Vocal ballast comes, variously, from Katie Crutchfield (Waxahatchee), the Black Pumas’ Eric Burton, Sam ‘Iron & Wine’ Beam and Justin Vernon/Bon Iver. Astonishingly, never do any of them ever manage to encroach on Staples’ rapier precision.
Producer Cook, has said he wished to recreate the idea of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Will the Circle Be Unbroken project, bringing together an array of guests to celebrate a musical community. Whilst, yes, he has succeeded, there is one cardinal difference, given the fact that, rather than any meeting of equals, this is inescapably Staples’ show and it is she, and her voice, in the spotlight. – Seuras Og
8. Various Artists — The Gold Rush: The Songs Of Neil Young
In honor of Neil Young taking the on-ramp to I-80 (years old, that is), Uncut compiled a collection of covers to go with their December issue. They called it “stellar,” adding, “if we say so ourselves.” Well, they don’t. The artists lean toward songs that haven’t been played to death on the radio – three deep cuts from Tonight’s the Night are especially welcome. As you might expect, there are faithful covers of both acoustic and electric Neil; to my mind, the best covers find a way to meld the two. Check out J Mascis giving grunge to “On Our Way Home” (and is that a hint of “Feel a Whole Lot Better” as covered by Dinosaur Jr. once?) and Chris Eckman’s godforsaken “Borrowed Tune.” – Patrick Robbins
7. The John Martyn Project — Volume One
Any biography of John Martyn has to involve a list of the people disappointed, or worse, in his life: wives, lovers, partners of those lovers, promoters, record labels, fans, promoters, bandmates, doctors, pub landlords, waiters, drug dealers, etc. On the other hand, as some of the people entitled to be disappointed have to note: “You curl around me, like a fern in the spring” is such an entrancing lyric in an exquisite song.
For the past few years, The John Martyn Project has celebrated the music and lyrics of a musical colossus, without lionizing the man who housed that talent. What started as a one-off concert has become a regular gig, with several tours and now an album. They are all highly talented multi-instrumentalists and singers, which is necessary as Martyn’s canon ranges across folk music, rock, pop, proto-trip hop, and beyond. They enhance and reinterpret the music and also recreate that most vital of folk music traditions, the singalong. The record is a joyous celebration of talent, that of Martyn and that of these musicians. The essential vitality of the songs is always present. The songs evolved over time when Martyn himself performed them, and their development continues in the safe hands, and voices, of this team. – Mike Tobyn
6. nothing,nowhere. — will it emo? vol. 1
nothing,nowhere. gets at both the nostalgia and the ennui of today’s age in this cover album, summed up nicely by the (first track) “All Star” line: “My world’s on fire, how ’bout yours?” Their choice of songs to test “will it emo” span many feel-good throwbacks (Backstreet Boys and NSYNC are both represented) and a few more zeitgeisty tunes (I dare you to not get their version of “HOT TO GO!” stuck in your head).
An emo cover album can often veer into kitsch, but this one is full of heart. The back-to-back combo of One Direction’s “Perfect” and Pharrell’s “Happy” made me unexpectedly reflective. A final PSA: for those who like a taste of emo but prefer not to tip into screamo, the most intense screaming often happens at the end of each song. Sure, you can skip past it, but I also recommend leaning in to that catharsis brought on by the raw screams. – Sara Stoudt
5. Mick Harvey & Amanda Acevedo — Golden Mirrors: The Uncovered Sessions Vol. 1
Former Bad Seed Mick Harvey teams up with Amanda Acevedo, a singer from Mexico, to pay spaghetti-western tribute to cult songwriter Jackson C. Frank. If you know Frank at all (and most don’t), it’s for his oft-covered 1965 song “Blues Run the Game.” That’s here, of course, but so are ten other equally lush and powerful songs. The mood is dark and spooky, with church organ swirling around Acevedo’s witchy vocals and Harvey’s crooning tenor which, it must be said, sounds a lot like his erstwhile bandmate Nick Cave. A phenomenal tribute to an undersung talent. – Ray Padgett
4. Robert Plant — Saving Grace
While it might be strange to consider Plant a covers artist, that is essentially what he has become, albeit with a tremendous knowledge of the myriad musical heritages informing his work. Alongside his latest collaboration with Alison Krauss, Plant has also been maturing this latest adventure. Saving Grace is he and four like-minded individuals, all based in the English Midlands, as they pan out toward the border with Wales.
Inspiration is drawn from Plant’s favorite canons, namely mid-century folk and blues from the US, the Anglo and Celtic traditions of his homeland and the sounds and textures of the Middle East and Africa. Leavening this are songs from the bands he listened to, in the ’60s, at home in England, bands like Moby Grape. Plus, as is becoming a regular recurring feature, a further song from the Low songbook, the songs of Alan Sparhawk and his late wife, Mimi Parker, continuing to be his go-to lodestone.
Highlights are many, but include the opener, “Chevrolet,” via Memphis Minnie and then Donovan. Plant is confident enough to largely stick to croon control these days, and this song shows off the warmth of his timbre, set snugly by Dian’s purer tones. But that is merely a warm up for the double whammy of the Moby Grape tune “It’s a Beautiful Day,” transposed into a desperately delicate country waltz, and the gospel blues of “Soul of a Man.” Plant sings the first in a whisper and doesn’t sing at all for the second, according Worley that role. This is no solo showcase; this really is a collective democracy.
Singer Suzi Dian, meanwhile, gets a near-lead vocal for a rockabilly rollick through Martha Scanlan’s “Higher Rock.” All a bit tame? Not a bit of it, as this is then followed by the deceptive Everly-esque “Too Far From You,” which, as it progresses, has both singers stretch out and test their full range. Indeed, once unleashed, that is the key for Plant to remind us a little of his backstory, with a muted howl through the aforesaid Low’s “Everybody’s Song” before winding everything right back down with another old gospel nugget.
It is my opinion that Plant gets better and better, as he step by step distances himself from the bluster of his ’70s heyday. He seems happy in his skin and, given health and opportunity, could easily become as iconic an elder statesman as Willie Nelson, 15 years his senior. – Seuras Og
3. Madi Diaz — Enema Of The Garden State
Based on an informal survey I took amongst friends and co-workers, it appears Blink-182 are a polarizing band. People either seemed to love them (“I grew up with them”) or hate them (“Irritating,””Stupid”). There was no gray area, no in between. They were regarded as millennial gods or as beyond irritating pop-punk juvenalia.
Singer-songwriter Madi Diaz grew up listening to them. She is a lover. So much so that she spontaneously decided to cover the whole of Blink’s 1999 magnum opus, Enema of the State, acoustically. She recorded it in New Jersey and altered the original album’s title to Enema of the Garden State because, you know, how the hell could she not. Diaz says, “These recordings started out as a fun light exercise fueled by an eternal love and fandom I have for blink-182 and the record Enema Of The State…No planning, no overthinking, no analyzing allowed, just ripping into the songs. It was just pure fun, pure joy.”
If you love Blink, Diaz’s passionate, funny and irony-free renditions are gonna hit and make you feel like you’ve found a kindred and sensitive knucklehead-at-heart like yourself. And if you hate Blink, well, after listening to this album you just might find yourself involuntarily starting to kind of love them. Diaz’s tribute album is like hanging out with a friend reminiscing and celebrating your former youthful awkwardness and your maybe-still happening-now-and-then impulsive stupidity in all its ridiculous beauty. It’s silly. It’s goofy. It’s downright poignant at times. What the holy hell, it might even be beautiful. And all the proceeds of Enema of the Garden State go to a great cause, defendingourneighbors.org. What’s my age again? – Hope Silverman
2. Stephen Brodsky — Cut to the Core, Vol. 1
If you’re like me, you probably first scan a covers album to see: Which songs do I know? And, again if you’re like me, the answer here will be: None of them. I’d don’t even recognize most of the band names Stephen Brodsky is drawing from, artists like Threadbare and Texas Is the Reason and Shotmaker. If those names do ring a bell, you probably know your ’90s hardcore. If they don’t, it doesn’t matter.
On Cut to the Core, Brodsky, of metal bands Cave In and Mutoid Man among others, strips these loud, fast rippers down to primarily acoustic guitar. A simple enough premise—Hardcore Goes Acoustic—but, in his hands, powerful. You can understand the lyrics, songs of hope and rage and passion that you might not be able to decipher in their much louder original form. I can’t wait for a volume two. – Ray Padgett
1. Kathleen Edwards — Covers
There are many reasons why a talented songwriter such as Kathleen Edwards would decide to release a covers collection. Sometimes it is a placeholder, released because the artist needs a break from creating original songs. Sometimes it is inspired by something going on in the world or the artist’s life. And sometimes, and it seems this time, it was a chance to pay tribute to songs and or songwriters that influenced the performer, or even just ones they like.
Edwards posted on her Facebook page around the time she released Covers, “Many of the songs I chose for this Covers record are ones that played as the soundtrack to different chapters in my past. They are from albums and artists that shaped my relationship with music and words – the feelings they evoke, the memories they bring back, even ones that have faded with time. Being able to listen to a singer tell their story, while also seeing yourself in the song, is part of the elusive magic of a great song.”
As my colleague Seuras noted in his more comprehensive review of the album, “The eight songs on Covers are a good mix of the likely and the unexpected,” the likely being mostly singer-songwriter royalty like John Prine, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, Paul Westerberg, and Jason Isbell, but there’s also an R.E.M. deep track, and covers of a Flaming Lips song, and even one from Supertramp. I’m partial to Edwards’ cover of Isbell’s “Traveling Alone,” with Isbell (who would go on to produce her next album) providing vocal and instrumental support, and her take on Supertramp’s “Logical Song,” which rescues the song from overexposure by giving it more emotional heft. Edwards clearly gave a great deal of thought to how to reimagine the songs to make them her own, without losing what made them worth covering in the first place. – Jordan Becker
Check out the Best Cover EPs of 2025 (Patreon exclusive) and the Best Cover Songs of 2025!
Read this twice and I’m missing something. What happened to “Spanglish Latin-pop takes on Air Supply.” I have some in-laws who actually love Air Supply – yes – and was going to hook them up on our holiday visit! Great list tho!
Hey, Joel – the #12 album Eterno includes a cover of “All Out Of Love.”
https://youtu.be/g3ngT57ozXI?si=a9iqFI7BRM7i6UGw