New Artists, Old Songs: Mailbox Overflow
(Covers of Britney, Kanye, Supertramp, Johnny Cash & more!)
July 29th, 2009 — 07:58 am
Going offline for two weeks means returning to an inbox in the triple digits, and though my brain is swimming a bit from trying to cut it down to size in one afternoon, sifting through the backlog of sound is made easier by the presence of a few true gems, and a few others with moments of greatness that just cry out to be heard in spite of any rough edges.
I’ll have video, audio, and commentary from the newest and best from my annual pilgrimage through the New England folk scene anon, probably early next week. But while I take a few days to make sense of this year’s folk festival scene, here’s the best from the flood.
- Steven Mark: The Logical Song (orig. Supertramp)
- NY singer-songwriter Steven Mark sounds like he springs from the heydays of the sixties, albeit with Elliott Smith’s sensibilities: this cover, for example, sports late-career Beatleseque folk rock set around smooth lead piano and an undercurrent of acoustic guitar and light drums. The gentle framework makes for a nice dreamy feeling, leeching the angst out of the original lyrics, and replacing it with a lithium haze which suits the song surprisingly well.
- The Rodeo: Amazing (orig. Kanye West)
- It’s a little loud for a folkblog, but I couldn’t resist passing along this wonderful indie rock piece from The Rodeo, who — if I’m reading this email correctly — appears to be the nom de plume of a single woman with an annagrammatic name who identifies as folk/indie on her MySpace, where she has posted a perfectly stunning, truly folk Dietrich-meets-Guthrie version of If I Had A Hammer to prove it.
- porterdavis: Can’t Be Satisfied (orig. Muddy Waters)
- I don’t get as many CD submissions as I used to, but I still get a thrill from physical media that I just can’t get from downloads. Which is why I’m especially indebted to porterdavis for reminding me why I listen to everything that comes my way. Their newest self-titled album reveals a band with a penchant for sparse, soulful acoustic roots music that sounds like the world’s best backstage session with your favorite folksinger: this Muddy Waters cover is loose and funky, the album’s lead song has folk radio written all over it, and Carter’s Tune, a duet with Eliza Gilkyson, is a contemporary coffeehouse folk fan’s dream. Definitely pick up your own copy of porterdavis (the album).
- Clay Ross: John the Revelator (trad.)
- The meld of Brazillian traditional beats and appalachian bluegrass which Brooklyn-based composer/guitarist Clay Ross has adopted as his modality on his brand new album Matuto works a hell of a lot better than I expected. This version of an old gospel tune most recently covered by Eilen Jewell and the Sacred Shakers is earthy, ancient, aboriginal stuff, representative of the genius involved, well worth the purchase price.
- Kasey Anderson: I Still Miss Someone (Johnny Cash cover)
- Rockstar Aimz wrote a glowing and thorough review of raspy-voiced Kasey Anderson‘s new self-released digital-only cover album Way Out West last week while I was sitting in a field basking in the folk. Since they pretty much covered the bases — wonderful deep-cut song selection, transformative reworkings, a strong diversity of sound — there’s little for me to add except to note that despite the etherial tone of his Johnny Cash cover, Way Out West is centrally a balladeer’s alt-country album. It’s all good. Download via Kasey Anderson’s label.
- Jim Hanft: Don’t Worry Baby (orig. Beach Boys)
- Jim Hanft blows a mean harmonica and folk-rocks out a bit, as evidenced by the songs on his debut album Backyard Waltz. But he also crafts quiet soundtrack-ready singer-songwriter bedroom folk, subtle and stunning, and this lovely cover is a beaut, fresh and light as a summer’s day. I especially like the mix of vocals here — the pure female voice on the chorus comes out of nowhere like a ray of sunshine through warm cloud cover.
- Will Phalen: Please Please Me (orig. The Beatles)
- Singer-songwriter Will Phalen wrote to let me know about his recent Arcade Fire cover, recorded as part of a cover-a-week initiative by Chicago songwriter’s forum The Song League; though he readily admits the vocals aren’t as strong as some of his other work, the late-night production values are actually quite apt for the song. But there’s a growing set of coversongs over at Will’s Song League tumblr page which seems well worth watching — I was especially taken by the slow, bedraggled glory of his Manic Depression, and his weary anthemic take on Please Please Me is an imperfect gem in 6/8 with moments of true greatness. In his other life, Will plays “Midwestern Folk Rock” with his band Will Phalen and the Stereo Addicts.
- Scott Warren: Sister Golden Hair (orig. America)
- Gorgeously fluid, totally atmospheric cover from acoustic roots rocker Scott Warren, a founding member of indie rock-slash-power pop outfit Signal Hill Transmission with shades of Slaid Cleaves in his soft twang and solo strum. Apparently, the guy from America likes it, too. The rest of his new album Quick Fix Bandage, which dropped today, is a bit more country-roots, and worth it.
- Lozninger: Toxic (orig. Britney Spears)
- I could have sworn we had heard the last of the great Toxic covers long before now. But French folkpop experimentalist Lozninger‘s comprehensive melodic and tonal deconstruction of the otherwise over-covered tune turns the Britney Spears original into something delicious, almost unrecognizable, and not yet heard: swirling and moody, an underwater city draped with softly rippling seaweed.
Speaking of female-voiced pianofolk: soulful pop songstress Leslie Mendelson has a new album out, and it’s full and delicate all at once. This live in-studio RAWsession cover of Kings of Leon’s Sex on Fire is a little more rock, a little less pop, and quite worth the click.
Finally, Jill Andrews, solo after an everybodyfields break-up, introduces us to her new project, a son named Nico…and throws in a sweet cover of Michael Jackson’s Human Nature as a bonus. A perfect way to celebrate death and life in one sweet turn.
Cover Lay Down will return Sunday with more coverfolk for your ears, heart, and soul.