Under the Covers Monday: The Cure & Bat For Lashes

Pounding steamy pavement this morning to the beat of "Daniel" made my tummy rumbly for the next release from Bat For Lashes {she's in the studio, until then you can gnaw on the Two Suns special edition}. And there's an excellent covers listing here, with Natasha Khan taking everything to a more mystically inky level. It was enough to make me sparkle-up my eyelids and jam on my feathered headdress for the rest of the day.

Bat For Lashes // A Forest
The Cure // A Forest

Under the Covers...Tuesday. Go easy on me. : Radiohead & Portishead

All right, ok, I know, I slacked, I'm sorry. I was a blasted waste of brainspace after a massive Sunday on-set for Mckay's lastest short-film. I'll update with a trailer in a week or so. If you like 50's rockabilly, a faceless keyboardist and femme on (zomb')femme makeouts, then you're going to absolutely despise "Johnny."

A favorite band playing a favorite song by another favorite band is an easy win while my bandwidth is still this compromised. I'll manage something far, far more introspective and monotheistically challenging later this week after a good nap and a butterscotch candy.

Sneak-peek from set of enigmatic performers in makeup by LeftwichFx - accomplished in cozy proximity to Empire's frydaddies.


Radiohead // The Rip
Portishead // The Rip

Under the Covers Monday: Bob Dylan & Magnet f. Gemma Hayes

Oh hay lil sweet sweets.

I have returned, relatively bronzed and properly drawly.
Or more so drawly than I was, which will thrill my best girlfriends who like to get me tipsy and encourage the use of "y'all" at any provided opportunity.

Hearing this over the loudspeaker at the Charleston airport, wedding-hungover and beach-depressed, was a petite saving grace of leaving Sullivan's Island. Doesn't hurt that it's one of the straightsultriest songs on the flockin' planet.

Magnet f. Gemma Hayes // Lay Lady Lay
Bob Dylan // Lay Lady Lay

Under the Covers Monday: The Outfield & Bon Iver

How can I NOT post this for Under the Covers?

We're done with Justin after this one. Swear. I'm starting to feel similar to how I do after my annual ration of one dozen Cadbury Eggs every spring. OD'd and crashed the fruc{tose} out.

Download Bon Iver's 10 best covers courtesy of Stereogum here. And one of the songs that defined your coming of age there.
As in a little lower.

loooower...

bingo.

Bon Iver // Your Love
The Outfield // Your Love


**5.24.11 update**

blast!
i can't stop!
get it together already, chirgotis.



Bonnie Rait // I Can't Make You Love Me

Under the Covers Monday: Rick Ross & Lykke Li

In honor and homage of last night's show at 9:30 Club, a little bit more of Lykke Li - straight hustlin' in 2009.

Lykke Li @ NTBR Part 4 - "Hustlin'" on Vimeo.

setlist:
Jerome
I'm Good, I'm Gone
Sadness Is a Blessing
Paris Blue
I Follow Rivers
Dance Dance Dance
Made You Move
I Know Places
Little Bit
Love Out of Lust
Silent Shout {the Knife cover} - bonus tidbit for missing you Friday

Rich Kid Blues
Until We Bleed
Get Some
encore:
Youth Know No Pain
Possibility
Unrequited Love

Rick Ross // Hustlin'

Under the Covers Monday: Leonard Cohen & Keren Ann

le french accents always make it a little sweeter.

Keren Ann // Hallelujah
Leonard Cohen // Hallelujah

Under the Covers Monday: Rave On Buddy Holly

We've already posted a Buddy Holly cover earlier this year, but it's worthy of a second spinning. Plus I'd like to talk about something else other than the Osama Bin Laden breaking news for a bit; {though trust I very much&always appreciate your diligent coverage during my morning commute, NPR.}

Upcoming tribute album to the iconic Buddy Holly, Rave On A Buddy Holly, is gathering steam for it's June 28th release on the Fantasy Records/Concord Music Group label. A fitting celebration in what would've been his 75th birthday.

Caught up in the spirit, I even got some new specs to look just like Buddy Holly. UH OH and like Mary...all right I'll stop.

In case you haven't already seen the billiontimesposted tracklist:

01. The Black Keys - “Dearest”
02. Fiona Apple and Jon Brion - “Everyday”
03. Paul McCartney - “It’s So Easy”
04. Florence and the Machine - “Not Fade Away”
05. Cee-Lo - “(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care”
06. Karen Elson (Produced by Jack White) - “Crying, Waiting, Hoping”
07. Julian Casablancas - “Rave On”
08. Jenny O. - “I’m Gonna Love You Too”
09. Justin Townes Earle - “Maybe Baby”
10. She & Him - “Oh Boy”
11. Nick Lowe - “Changing All Those Changes”
12. Patti Smith - “Words of Love”
13. My Morning Jacket - “True Love Ways”
14. Modest Mouse - “That’ll Be the Day”
15. Kid Rock - “Well… All Right”
16. Detroit Cobras - “Heartbeat”
17. Lou Reed - “Peggy Sue”
18. John Doe - “Peggy Sue Got Married”
19. Graham Nash - “Raining in My Heart”

And a few years old cover from Buddy Holly devotee, M.Ward.



M.Ward // Rave On
Buddy Holly // Rave On

Under the Covers Monday: The Beatles & She&Him

Suddenly summer RVA calls for TBs {total babes and The Beatles}.

She&Him // I Should've Known Better
The Beatles // I Should've Known Better

Under the Covers Monday: Ben Folds & Death Cab

Using blankies to make syncopated electromatic sounds on an acoustic?

Ah. That's why Ben Folds always gets the girls.

Under the Covers Monday - the Smiths & the Dum Dum Girls

I considered somehow weaving the pride of RVA into the Monday post, but the day got away from me and this song continues to play on freakin' repeat within my inner-ear jukebox. I don't mind all that much...plus it's an admittedly easier subject to find an obscure cover for.

Throwaway Weezy track from the 500 Days of Summer spoof album thrown in for good measure, and because I missed you all last week. Really and truly.

The Dum Dum Girls // There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
Lil Wayne // There Is A Fire That Never Goes Out
The Smiths // There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

Under the Covers Monday - Titus Andronicus & Weezer

Titus Andronicus, with some help of Vivian Girls' sunglass-slipping Cassie Ramone, do a sloshy cover of Weezer's "Undone {the Sweater Song}." Can definitely remember yelling these lyrics in 5th grade and feeling nervous slash on-the-cutting-edge when we got to the collective's favorite line "I'll soon be naked!" Looks like everybody at this ridiculous, humid silliness had a similar sentiment.



Titus Andronicus f. Cassie Ramone // Undone {the Sweater Song} Cover

Weezer // Undone {the Sweater Song}

Under the Covers Monday {makeup} - Florence + the Machine & Cold War Kids

get 'em, Florence.

Florence + the Machine // Hospital Beds
Cold War Kids // Hospital Beds

Under the Covers Monday - curtsying before the Bowie altar

Growing up I wasn't really exposed to the clutched rock legends of my parents' youth. Led Zepp was a high school revelation, I didn't hear a Grateful Dead song until I was in my 20's. Dad insisted upon "modern music," and discarded records as soon as he felt they were obsolete. Holds true with his overall-life mantra; I barely had my extra-long sheets packed for college before Dad tore down the adolescent collage of Abercrombie dudes on my wall {it's a shameful time, but I've moved past it and feel at peace}.

So no, I didn't jump on couch cushions to the chords of "Stairway to Heaven." But I did tell all my stuffed animals where I'd be located while spinning to R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion" {the corner}. I perfected some odd, jerky fighting robot moves with my little brother to Talking Head's "Burning Down the House." But far, FAR and away my favorite dance routines was to the entire ChangesBowie album. The whole thing=sweaty kid head. I was completely convinced that when Mr. Bowie sang "China Girl," it was meant only for me. I was also convinced that i was asian at heart while growing up in rural, piedmont North Carolina. Can't say.

We Were So Turned On: A Tribute to David Bowie is a treasure chest of covers by independent artists to benefit UK War Child charity. You'll make Ziggy Stardust, now incarnated in my workbuddy betafish, very pleased.

Xu Xu Fang // China Girl
David Bowie // China Girl
Warpaint // Ashes to Ashes
David Bowie // Ashes to Ashes

Under the Covers Monday - Freedom or Death & Nas

An unsigned Toronto-based duality, Steve Fernandez and Sway are DIYers of production and songwriting. With classical training in piano, DJ creds, and band-fronting history, their self-titled debut takes them away from the major hitmaker machine so they can do whatever they like. Goddamn right, and as this 1820's Greek War for Independence war cry crows along for their namesake:

Its the way I want to live my life
Having the freedom to make my own decisions
and not adhere to the rules of others
To make art for my own well being, not for acceptance from the masses
To listen to what my heart beats to, not to slave for anothers
Give me the FREEDOM to make a life I choose - or hand me my DEATH

If you play the "sound-likes" game, you'll have a substantial list by the end of the album - Broken Bells, Radiohead, TVOTR, Massive Attack, maybe even a little Citizen Cope? But we're supposed to loathe the sound-likes game if we're one of those who knows the what-for, right? So we'll take that list, slice it into thirds and masticate it knowing it's not NEARLY as dirty as it reads on-screen.

After you've finished up, digest with some visual collaborations with Spike Jonze and a gorgeously synthed-out snowy lovestory. {warning: not everybody keeps their shearling loincloth on}

Freedom or Death // If I Ruled the World

Under the Covers Monday - Cee-Lo & BOH

allo allo. Hope everyone's thank-full celebrations were all you ever dreamed of. General overindulgence, drunken brawls with disconnected friends from high school and long, intensively uncomfortable silences over that second serving of squash pie as your mother looks on disapprovingly. Pilgrims might not be real, but it's the spirit of the season that counts.

I could be forcing my thoughts concerning My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy on you right now, but Mondays don't allow for it. Sorry. Get a lusty earful of Cee-Lo's class and soulful vibrato covering Band of Horses instead. While you're listening I'll be doing my best booty-drop this side of the laptop - considering limited materials.

Cee-Lo Green // No One's Gonna Love You

Under the Covers Monday - AC Newman & A-Ha

AC Newman // Take On Me

Under the Covers Monday - Peter Silberman & Holly Miranda

Peter Silberman of The Antlers / Hospice recognition covered one of my all time favorite songs on this Earf, "Waves" by Holly Miranda. It kinda makes me want to die; in the most painless, cotton-soft, seagull swooning way possible.

Peter Silberman // Waves

Under the Covers Monday - Rogue Wave & Buddy Holly

By the decree of the Purple Falcon by the order of Lord Darcy, under the darkness of a new moon and Steak-Um on the cafeteria menu - every Monday from henceforth on this vessel shall be Under the Covers Monday. Heark, hear ye and open sesame.

Rogue Wave // Everyday (Buddy Holly Cover)

Lissie

My usual goal, bolstering both "at least I barely know about ONE thing" hopes for myself and a shareworthy iTunes lib, is scoping artists on the eensiest cusp of being massively accessible. Getting ahead of the game. Like when one knows that everybody will want Lebron James at the Masters so you slate him for your fantasy football league; that sort of ESP.

Well. Lissie isn't it. The moment I started listening to Catching a Tiger, released in August, it was obvious I was two-weeks too late. Plus once you're on the Grey's Anatomy soundtrack, you're a veritable soda-pop comet. I can say that with no malice because it's quoted in her write-up, so ger'off me. Key difference being - she's impossible to dismiss. Her pipes cover a range of genres, spaghetti western gospel folk pop? Spend 39 seconds searching her online and you'll find some pretty sick live performances and insane covers (after the Cotton commercial, nice one). Like this of Kid Cudi's "Pursuit of Happiness." Not every cornsilk-haired Illinois native-come-LA lady can swill tequila and sing "roll it up, take a hit" somewhat convincingly. I like a little acid on my sugar-pops in the morning.



Lissie // Record Collector