It’s no surprise (pun intended) that everyone loves Radiohead. Because the Oxfordshire four-piece takes so notoriously long to produce new material under the Radiohead moniker, and with individual band members constantly fussing over side projects (Thom Yorke supergrouping, Jonny Greenwood soundtracking, Phil Selway and the drum kit solo tour), we’re grateful for any covers we can get our hands on — even if it’s just Coco in a faux-Yorke accent jamming along to our Rock Band guilty pleasure, “Creep.” After the jump, our twelve favorite love letters to the band, inspired by Regina Spektor’s March 23rd Irving Plaza performance of “No Surprises.”
Taking an orchestral approach to the art of the cover, Peter Gabriel’s Scratch My Back finds the musical icon tackling tracks by everyone from Lou Reed to Bon Iver.
Gabriel’s lush takes add a melancholy edge to formerly upbeat numbers like Bowie’s “Heroes,” while spinning darker songs, such as Radiohead’s “Street Spirit” and Arcade Fire’s “My Body Is a Cage,” into more minimal reflections on existence. The album’s title references Gabriel’s intention to have each artist cover one of his own songs in exchange; so far, Paul Simon and the Magnetic Fields have already returned the favor.
Indie rock is having a covers moment. First was Beck’s decision to cover full albums and release them one track at a time. The Flaming Lips covered Dark Side of the Moon. Then, streaming material from Peter Gabriel’s Scratch My Back, featuring covers of artists like Arcade Fire, Bon Iver, and Elbow. Flavorwire even got in on the act, giving you a mixtape featuring indie rock covers of indie rock songs.
With Vampire Weekend’s cover of Rancid’s “Ruby Soho,” it seems that we have reached a WTF cover saturation point: Koenig replacing Tim Armstrong’s punk growl with crooning over glistening beach guitar. Listening to the versions side-by-side is like the rug got pulled out from under the Rancid original and broke its legs.
After the jump, we give you the VW version plus some other unexpected covers that’ll make you scratch your head. They’re curious choices, unique and incongruous, but always interesting. Which ones are your favorites?
The concept behind Peter Gabriel’s forthcoming album Scratch My Back is simple: The artist records his favorite tracks by everyone from David Bowie to Radiohead to The Magnetic Fields, and the musicians he has selected complete the song swap by covering a selection from Gabriel’s extensive songbook.
The list we’ve assembled here was inspired by a different kind of reciprocity — that is, of indie rockers showing appreciation for their own kind. So far, only one of these tributes has been mutual but that isn’t to say that we shouldn’t keep our fingers crossed for more. After the jump, check out ten indie acts covering 10 other indie acts’ singles. We think you’ll agree that imitation is the highest form of flattery.
…but we had no idea 15-year-olds from the Philippines could do it better (these kids are unbefreakingleivable!). I caught the unnamed band playing covers in a restaurant on a trip to Puerto Galera. I asked them to play “Drive” for the camera when I realized their take rivaled the original. With soul it’s, like, almost not annoying…
After the jump, the excerpts from the band’s equally invigorated attempt to out-sing Sublime.
