Aug 242010
 

At Cover Me, we like to give stuff away. Read on to learn how that stuff can be yours.

Tribute albums to famous artists are a dime a dozen. Tribute albums to famous labels though…well, that’s something else entirely. The Morlocks Play Chess is a great title with a greater concept behind it. San Diego garage rock quintet the Morlocks cover the hits of Chicago’s legendary Chess Records. And what hits! Without the 45s of Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley and other Chess artists, rock and roll wouldn’t be where it is today.

Though shut down in 1975, the label has experienced something of a revival in the popular imagination recently. The 2008 film Cadillac Records spotlighted the label with help from Adrian Brody (who played Leonard Chess), Mos Def (Chuck Berry), and Beyoncé (Etta James). Just a few weeks ago Chicago podcast Sound Opinions devoted a whole show to unearthing some of the label’s history.

Enter the Morlocks. The band first popped up in southern California in 1984. Three years and a few local hits later, things collapsed. They returned a decade later with their raw garage sound as frenetic as ever. The Chess Records catalog fits them perfectly and they know it. Continue reading »

Jul 212010
 

She may be best known as a famous wife, but anyone who has ever seen Pegi Young sing backup for hubby Neil knows the gal’s got country chops. She’s more “My My, Hey Hey” than “Hey Hey, My My” (get Rust Never Sleeps if that went over your head), her weathered vocals lending a moving weariness to whatever material they touch. Her latest album Foul Deeds features covers of old-timers like Lucinda Williams, but one younger songwriter gets the nod: Devendra Banhart.

Mrs. Young tackles “Body Breaks” from freak-folk Banhart’s 2004 album Rejoicing in the Hands. Neil’s band backs her up, and yes, that includes Mr. Young himself, who joins in on guitar. Stream and download the track below.

Following the success of last month’s Neil Young tribute contest, we’ve got a couple copies of Foul Deeds to give away. Enter your name, email address, and a song you’d like to hear Pegi and Neil cover into the comments section below. The contest ends at midnight on Wednesday, July 28th is closed. Continue reading »

Jun 302010
 

Tribute Throwback shines some light on an underexposed tribute album. Enter to win a copy!

A few years ago I was poking around a Chicago record store and came across an intriguing album: Headed for the Ditch: A Michigan Tribute to Neil Young. I thought I knew all Neil Young cover collections, but this one I’d never heard of. I only knew one band on there, but the packaging looked nice and the price was right, so I picked it up. It worked out better than most impulse purchases I’ve made (incidentally, anyone want a lava lamp nightlight?).

The album contains eleven new covers by Michigan artists, ranging from Edward’s beautiful slow-building “Birds” to the Hard Lessons’ seven-minute blast through “Hey, Hey, My, My.” The disc hit the right blend of acoustic and electric, faithful and exploratory. Plus how many Neil Young tributes include “We R in Control,” the song from Neil’s ill-fated electronic venture Trans?

Now before you run off to iTunes, I’ll save you some time: You won’t find it. The old-school purists at Lower Peninsula Records only release their stuff on vinyl. But boy do they do a fine job. The beautiful gatefold packaging features a stitched 16-page booklet with handwritten lyrics and drawings by every band on the album. It sounds great and comes in a coffee table-worthy package to boot.

Oh, and did I mention we have one to give away? [EDIT: This contest is now closed.] Continue reading »

Mar 112010
 
THIS CONTEST IS CLOSED.


New Order broke up a few years ago, but it seems their stock is higher than ever with the latest wave of electro-flavored indie bands. Hits like “Bizarre Love Triangle” and the ubiquitous “Blue Monday” have seen recent covers by everyone from The Arcade Fire to Moby, Iron & Wine to Radiohead. The latest installment is Ceremony: A New Order Tribute, a beautiful two-disc set containing 31 new covers. We’ve got a copy to give away, but first a little about it:

Florida independent record label, 24 Hour Service Station, has assembled a Double CD Tribute Album honoring the music of New Order entitled CEREMONY – A New Order Tribute. The Album as well as two additional Digital Only Collections are scheduled for release on February 20, 2010.

Participants include Rabbit In The Moon, DETACHMENTS, Pocket, SUNBEARS!, Kites With Lights, John Ralston, GD Luxxe, The Beauvilles, Kingsbury, XOXO, The Dark Romantics and many more! Artists have donated their version of a favorite New Order track, and many have also contributed their take on “Ceremony”.

A portion of the proceeds from record sales will benefit the Salford Foundation Trust’s Tony Wilson Awards, established in memory of Tony Wilson, the founding father of landmark independent record label Factory Records, who died of cancer in 2007. The trust will benefit children and young people who can demonstrate a special talent or ambition in the arts or creative skills.

The idea for this tribute came about in 2007, when Tony Wilson passed away from cancer. Marshall Dickson, founder of 24 Hour Service Station, was stirred to put together a fitting tribute to his hero. Upon discovery that a charity had been established in Wilson’s name to aide children with creative & musical skills, the pieces came together. By late 2008, the project became an international endeavor when Ceremony was helmed by partner Sonshine Ward, who seeked out contributing artists from around the globe that were equally inspired by Wilson and moved by his passing.

Participating artists include: Against The Stars, Allegra Gellar, The Artificial Sea, The Beauvilles, The Bedford Incident, CBentley, Christian Webb & Adam Knowles, The Cloud Room, The Dark Esquire, The Dark Romantics, DETACHMENTS, Flight, Fornever, GD Luxxe, Glomag, History, Jimmy Oakes, John Ralston, Johnny Parry, Kites With Lights, Kingsbury, Last Year’s Model, Light Yourself On Fire, Lone Wolf, Lush Progress, Manumatic, Marc Deon, The Milling Gowns, Peter Hook, Pocket, Rabbit In The Moon, Razed In A New Division of Agony, The Sheaks, Sibling, Solo Gigolos UK, SUNBEARS!, The Thin Boys, TurboVamps, Wedgepiece, Win Win Winter, XOXO, Yes But No

Here are three sample tracks to whet the appetite:

Detachments – The Perfect Kiss

Kites with Lights – Dream Attack

Pocket ft. Shaun Robinson and Tracy Shedd – Sub-Culture

To enter for your change to win this two-disc set, send an email with the subject “New Order Tribute” to covers86[at]gmail.com. Entries will close one week from today, on March 18. CLOSED

For more information, visit the Ceremony website, which includes many of the artists talking about why they chose the songs they did.

Got something you’d like to give away? Email us at the address on the right!

Dec 092009
 
THIS CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. THANKS TO ALL WHO PARTICIPATED.


At this fall’s Austin City Limits the Dave Matthews Band busted out a smoking cover of the Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House.” Watch a video on YouTube.

Great cover — bet you wish there was some better quality footage of that. Well there’s not just better quality footage coming out, there’s high-definition 3D in-theaters-only footage coming out! Larger Than Life…In 3D hits theaters on Friday for a one-week engagement and features concert video like you’ve never seen. The Dave Matthews Band, Ben Harper and Relentless7 and Gogol Bordello get the 3D treatment and, as I wrote in my review, this ain’t your mama’s concert movie. Here’s a trailer (which is of course in 2D, so expect to be intrigued, but not awed).


In honor of the occasion, Cover Me is giving away some prize packs from the film. And we’re not talking a 10% off coupon a postcard. We’re talking posters, t-shirts and, of course, free tickets! All the info you need to win below.

Cover Me’s Larger Than Life…In 3D Giveaway


Four (4) Grand Prizes:
1 Poster
1 T-Shirt
1 3D Lanyard
and 2 free tickets for you and a friend!

To enter, put your email address in the comments. Four winners will be picked at random.

But before you enter, go here to make sure it’s playing near you. Though 350 locations is a lot, it’s not everywhere. At the above link you can also request the film come to your city, but there’s no guarantee.

Because this film opens Friday, this contest is only open for 24 hours! Remember, because this is 3D, once this movie leaves theaters it is gone for good (no DVD!). Enter now!

Some covers to whet your appetite:

Dave Matthews Band – All Along the Watchtower (live 6/26/09) (Bob Dylan)
Ben Harper & Relentless7 – Under Pressure (Queen)
The Hectics – Supertheory of Supereverything (Gogol Bordello)

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Got something you’d like to give away? Email us at the address on the right!