Cover smackdown: 2009 edition

So at this point it's pretty obvious what songs will top the best-of-09 lists this year. Two "No, Duh" contenders are Animal Collective's "My Girls" and the Dirty Projectors "Stillness is the Move". They're all swell and pretty and all but we think the more important question is which cover version is better. Earlier this year we brought you Taken By Trees re-gendered, stripped down, Pakistani influenced "My Boys", which might we add is AWESOME. But now Solange (aka Beyonce's hipster sister) went and sung her heart out on a newly R&B infused "Stillness is the Move".

So my question dear readers is this: who better did a better re-interpretation of 2009? I'm still waiting for Britney to cover "Two Weeks".

My Boys (Animal Collective cover) - Taken By Trees

Stillness is the Move (Dirty Projectors cover) - Solange

You've got to Paste to play ...

So what are your picks for album of the decade? Go tell Paste here: http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/08/whats-your-favorite-album-of-the-decade.html

After reviewing their list, mine are as follows:

Animal Collective: Merriweather Post Pavilion
The Avett Brothers: Emotionalism
Death Cab for Cutie: Transatlantacism
Fountains of Wayne: Welcome Interstate Managers
The Hold Steady: Boys & Girls in America
Iron & Wine: Our Endless Numbered Days
Sondre Lerche: Faces Down
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Sun Kil Moon: Ghosts of the Great Highway
Wilco: Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Check back later for track links and liner notes.

this song will get stuck in your head all over again

A song as nearly perfect as Animal Collective's "My Girls" probably doesn't need to be covered. But that didn't stop Taken By Trees from taking a stab at it. Victoria Bergsman not only regenders the original, but strips it down with some oddball Pakistani instrumentation and in the process renders it shockingly unique. Kudos for taking a risk that *gasp* actually pays off. We think you'll agree. Trippy video too:


My Boys (Aninal Collective cover)- Taken By Trees

Happy Independence Day

To our American readers at least. Happy regular Fourth of July to the rest of the world!

Fireworks - Animal Collective

If you look really closely you can see a 9.6 in the cover art

That's the rating Pitchfork is giving Animal Collective's latest album Merriweather Post Pavillion.

While MPP isn't technically released until tomorrow, I happened to spot it on sale over the weekend at Princeton Record Exchange, which just happens to be the best record store in all of New Jersey. You should have seen the college kids squealing over it. God bless independent music shops for totally disregarding proper release dates!

My Girls - Animal Collective (removed at request)

Happy 4th of July

To all you fellow Americans out there, a tributory mix!

Elliott Smith - Independence Day.mp3

Elliott Smith - Bottle Up and Explode!.mp3

John Philip Sousa - Stars and Stripes Forever.mp3

Bruce Springsteen - Born in the U.S.A..mp3

the Mountain Goats - We Were Patriots.m4a

Animal Collective - Fireworks.mp3

Elvis Costello - Indoor Fireworks.mp3

Simon & Garfunkel - America.mp3

Cat Power - American Flag.mp3

John Linnell - Songs of the 50 States.mp3

Sufjan Stevens - The 50 States Song (live).mp3

Sufjan Stevens - The Star Spangled Banner (live).mp3

and speaking of holidays...
Sufjan Stevens - Christmas in July.mp3

Duck and Cover!

Just a few random assorted covers. They have nothing in common, except for the fact we like them all.

Polly - Animal Collective (Nirvana cover)

Knife - CSS (Grizzly Bear cover)

Rated X - White Stripes (Loretta Lynn cover)

Hallelujah - Beirut (Leonard Cohen cover)

Cubs in Five - Eric Metronome (Mountain Goats cover)

Happy Fourth of July courtesy Animal Collective

Animal Collective wish you a happy Fourth of July with their brand-spanking new video for "Fireworks" off the nearly unleakable upcoming album Strawberry Jam (seriously someone was almost fired for uploading two tracks off a promo copy) which is to be officially released in September via Domino. The vid features everything you love about the wacky jubilant collective. Get this -their freaky sonic explosions are complimented by actual explosions. How visually apt! Besides what's not to love about a band that contains a dude named Panda Bear?