Two-headed comic

So I hung out in this adorable comic book shop last night. While perusing the shelves I stumbled upon this book entitled "Ballad of the Two-Headed Boy". That has got to a be a Neutral Milk Hotel reference, right? I mean it came out in 2000 and even the black and white sketches seem Aeroplane-esque.
Just thought I'd throw that out there and if anyone knows for sure, hit us up in the comments. Also I'll take any excuse I can get to post this song:

Two-Headed Boy - Neutral Milk Hotel
Two-Headed Boy - the Mountain Goats (Neutral Milk Hotel cover)

Brooklyn Vegan's Haiti Benefit Concert @ Music Hall of Williamsburg 1/23/10

Brooklyn Vegan's Haiti Benefit concert basically doubled as a cover lover's paradise. Here's the rundown:

-We got swoonworthy Spoon man Britt Daniel covering John Lennon's "Isolation". (How I'd love to run my hand's through his perfect bedhead.

-My Brightest Diamond took on Prince's "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore" (Dear God that voice, it's so sexy that as a 100% hetero-woman, I want to sleep with her vocal chords)

- St. Vincent literally made me shed tears with her cover of Nico's "These Days". AND then she followed it up with The National's "Mistaken for Strangers" EPIC DOUBLE WHAMMY OF MELANCHOLY.

- Bon Iver sang the crap out of the oft-covered "Satisfied Mind". (Also can we talk about his unabomber hair? Maybe someone's been locked in the cabin too long?)

Oh as in typical infomercial form, BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

St. Vincent joined Bon Iver's Justin Vernon and Megafaun's Brad Cook to form an indie cover supergroup awesomely know as Songer-Singwriter and played Neil Young's "Harvest Moon", Tom Petty's "A Face in the Crowd", a 10 minute version of Dolly Parton's "Jolene" complete with a noisy, psychedelic freakout outro and finished it up with a sing-along of Annie Lennox's "Why".


All and all it was pretty much the best 35 buck donation I've ever made. In fact I'd probably donate my left arm, a kidney and a few buckets of blood to see it all over again. Thank god for YouTube.

Oh and I won't even taunt you with the line-up of Comedian's who also contributed to the night's festivities. The Daily Show's Wyatt Cenac AND Jeaneane Garafalo. Oh this other guy. Some dude who looks like fat Jesus. I think his name is Zach Galifianakis. He was in some little movie called The Hangover. Maybe you've heard of it.
It's ok. Your jealousy is allowed. I'd hate me too if I didn't get to witness such a one of a kind event.

These Days - St. Vincent (Nico cover)

Cover of the year, I'm calling it now.

You're probably aware of the PANTS ON THE GROUND phenomenon. And if you're not get yourself acquainted ASAP:

But let's take it a step further and imagine Neil Young covering that catchy little ditty. That's what Jimmy Fallon did, and man is it downright poignant:

First Video that Will/Should Go Viral!

Check out this AWESOME Genesis cover!!



If for some reason you don't believe me that they're the new "Reynaldos," then please preapare to be proven wrong when you watch Viral Video Film School on InfoMania!Because Brett Erlich is a genius AND a cutie pie.
(Thursdays @ 10 pm on Current TV)

Keeping with the theme of cover albums

Though this came out in July, I am ashamed to admit, dearest readers, I did not know it existed until just this morning. It is absolutely incredible, and it is now your imperative mission to download this FREE album in its entirety.

Here's a link to the page! Go nuts!!
Weezer: the 8-bit cover album

That's right, it's a compilation of your favorite Weezer tracks. Covered by great, unknown artists. Who only work in the same musical format as your favorite old-skool Nintendo soundtracks.

My favorite:
Bit Shifter - The World Has Turned And Left Me Here.mp3

It'll get you dancing for sure, and keep an ear open for the "Wave of Mutilation" lyrics thrown in as well. EPIC WIN!

Hi, We're not the Mountain Goats

Ok so I just gotta pimp this awesome cover project. 34 Mountain Goat fans picked out the songs they most wanted to hear covered and then were randomly assigned one of those songs to cover themselves. Here is the result. All songs are up for free download. All they ask is that you donate a few a bucks to the Farm Sanctuary if you find yourself enjoying it. Sounds like a fair deal to us.

(Oh and full disclosure, yours truly sings a bit on "Seed Song", so um yeah I sound a little squeaky, so nevermind my lack of vocal ability. It was fun anyway.)

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

BOO! A Mystery Mix!

Here's your trick-or-treat, dear readers! A fresh mix tape by Yours Truly with some surprises. The following stats will give you some hints:

22 Tracks
1:19:41 (yep, fits on 1 regular audio CD!)
shortest track: 1:31
longest track: 6:31

3 covers
1.5 spoken word tracks
1 instrumental
1 live version
1 mash-up
1 old skool rap
1 song from VK's namesake artist
1 song for all you WRIMOS starting tomorrow (good luck!!)

oldest song: 1976
newest song: October 20, 2009
60% of songs from 1980-1999

I didn't make this song with any particular type of person in mind, but let's just say that those with an appreciation for 80's new wave, punk, and hipster irony... with a Jersey upbringing... will have the most possible appreciation for this mix. Or not.

1. Dashboard Confessional - El Scorcho (Weezer cover).mp3

2. Pixies - Wave of Mutilation.mp3

3. Gerry Rafferty - Baker Street.mp3

4. The White Stripes - It's True That We Love One Another.m4a

5. Beck - Last Night I Traded My Souls Innermost For Some Pickled Fish.mp3

6. Bright Eyes - Devil Town (Daniel Johnston cover).mp3

7. Ace Of Bace - Don't Turn Around.m4a

8. Elvis Costello - Every Day I Write The Book.m4a

9. Billy Joel - Vienna.mp3

10. Tor / Sufjan Stevens - I Like The Tallest Man (feat. Grad Puba).mp3

11. the Mountain Goats - Houseguest (live cover).mp3

12. Lyle Lovett - Here I Am.mp3

13. They Might Be Giants - Don't Let's Start.mp3

14. Islands - No You Don't.m4a

15. John Vanderslice - Promising Actress.mp3

16. Holcombe Waller - Anthem (Will I Forgive Myself If I Can't Help You Anymore).mp3

17. Skee-Lo - I Wish.mp3

18. Daniel Johnston - Etiquette.mp3

19. Crash Test Dummies - Keep a Lid on Things.mp3

20. Tom Waits - Bad Liver & a Broken Heart.mp3

21. Gunnar Madsen - This Must Be The Place (Native Melody) (Talking Heads cover).mp3

22. Tenacious D - Friendship Test.mp3

Songs for Bill, pt. 2

If there's one thing I've learned most this year, or even this decade, it's the importance of family. How it can be heartbreaking to be estranged from someone, how difficult it is to reconnect, and how fortunate you can be if you've always been close.

I've been so lucky to have a second dad like Bill. He took me in when I was homeless and helped support the wedding to my husband that he ultimately couldn't even attend. Through it all, he loved and accepted me, and I couldn't have asked for a better, kinder, funnier and more loving father-in-law.

So here's a newsflash: funerals are difficult. How am I dealing(besides Klonopin)? Yep, music. Here's seven favorites friom his music collection:

Roy Orbison - Blue Bayou.mp3 from Black & White Night
I have fond memories of watching Roy Orbison Black & White Night in concert with him. Truly, a family night of music and celebration.

Willie Nelson - A Horse Called Music.mp3 from The Many Sides of Willie Nelson
When he wasn't riding his motorcycle, he was riding high on music. Classics and favorites from his era ruled then and still do today.

Josh Groban - Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring.mp3 from Josh Groban
This song, performed by the King of Kings Lutheran church choir at his funeral, made me cry buckets. The peacefulness will overcome, though.

Neil Diamond - Forever in Blue Jeans.mp3 from Greatest Hits 1966-1992
In my mind, he will be Forever in Blue Jeans.

Lobo - How Can I Tell Her About You.mp3 from Calumet
Lobo was a favorite band. He got Adam into it; he got me into it. Don't Tell Her Goodnight; just play this tune instead.

Common Thread - Peaceful Easy Feeling (Eagles cover).mp3 from Songs of the Eagles
He was a huge Eagles fan, so here's a song I hope he lives in now.

Finally, his favorite song, by a favorite band:


Enjoy, and hug your Pa today. <3

Top 5 At The Moment: songs for Bill pt. I

Myself (and Miss Kitty), Adam, Bill, Susan

Today I fly to the Tri-Cities in eastern Washington for my father-in-law's funeral. Bill, or as I called him, "Pa," was like a second dad to me. My husband and I are greiving, and music helps. I'm listening to a mix of pop, indie and jazz:

For complete distraction/denial:
Shakira - She Wolf.m4a from the She Wolf Single
I've been inexplicably drawn to Shakira's weird, almost cheesy anthem for furries. The howling really wasn't necessary, but the beat is solid, and the video is sexy.

Beyoncé - Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).m4a from I Am...Sasha Fierce
Admittedly, I had never heard this song before until it was on Glee a few weeks ago. Hilarious in that context, but nonetheless catchy.

For reflection:
The Follen Angels - Is That All There Is?.mp3 from Jazz Divas: The Songs of Ella, Peggy & Billie
One of the greatest jazz songs written for a woman, it humorously examines existential ennui. Catch the lyrics once and you'll sing along forever.


For sadness:
Don Henley - Everybody Knows.mp3 from Tower Of Song: The Songs Of Leonard Cohen
My father-in-law passed away yesterday. He was 62 and it was sudden and unexpected. My husband is flying home now and in a few days I'll join for the memorial service. He said that this song had been in his head since it happened, so I'm honoring it here. This is a much more interesting cover of the original Leonard Cohen song. The whole album is fantastic and is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED you buy it.
Everybody's got that sinking feeling, like their father or their dog just died.

Sarah McLachlan - Angel.m4a from Surfacing
This song has gotten me through so many deaths, played on repeat for hours. That's all I have to say about it.

cover song you need to hear now

It's spooky, ethereal and would probably soundtrack a haunted carousel just dandy:

Nothing Matters When We're Dancing (Magnetic Fields cover) - The Antlers

The Decemberists just wanna use your love tonight

Ok, so this cover is about five years old, yet it's totally new to me. Decemberists' guitar player Chris Funk finally steals center stage away from Mr. Meloy and sings the crap out of a song that is pretty much impossible to fuck up. You know the one that goes "I just wanna use your love tonight, I don't wanna lose your love toniiiiiiight". Yeah that one.

I think Chris Funk should just hit the road as a one-man-80s-one-hit-wonder cover band. That'd be way more epic than The Hazards of Love. Just sayin'

The banter at the end is also hilarious, but I don't want to give anything away so just listen for yourself.

Your Love (The Outfield cover) - The Decemberists

51, Count 'em 51 Elliott Smith cover!

That's right folks. We salute The Rawking Refuses to Stop for re-posting their epic collection of Elliott Smith covers. We know this post is from like seven months ago, we heart completists (plus the links are still good) we thought we'd alert you to it.So head right over and get 'em while they're hot.

And sample one here:

Blackbird - Elliott Smith (The Beatles cover)

RIP John Hughes

We're still recovering from the news of John Hughes death (seriously what have we done to anger the pop culture Gods so much this year??)

Here are two Pretty in Pink covers, as tribute to the man, the movies and the music that will always be there to comfort adolescents on their awkward, but maybe lucky (or just Ducky) prom night.

Pretty in Pink - The National (Psychedelic Furs cover)
Pretty in Pink - The Mountain Goats (Psychedelic Furs cover)

The stuff your indie wet dreams are made of...

Ok, ok so it's like really hard to believe Zooey would ever have a hard time getting her way. I mean all she has to do is bat her eyes, curtsy and twirl in her cute little dresses and she's got the world bowing before her. Nevertheless, I totally buy her take on the Smiths classic.

Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want - She & Him (The Smiths cover)

Genre-Bending

Two fun covers that I've come across lately, submitted for your enjoyment:

Yet ANOTHER awesome cover

We're on an awesome live cover roll. Earlier this week The Hold Steady covered the Mountain Goats and now I just discovered this gem of a cover. While it's not brand new (it was recorded in Febraury) it's still an absolute thrill to hear Frightened Rabbit cover Neutral Milk Hotel's "Song Against Sex". Their lovely acoustic rendition lends the song a unique Scottish flair, yet still maintains the original's earnestness. Enjoy!

"Our conversations are like minefields. No one's found a safe way through one yet"

File this one under one of my favorite bands covering one of my other favorite bands. Check out The Hold Steady's take on the Mountain Goats "Southwood Plantation Road". I love, love, love the way Craig Finn slurs the "La, La, La's". It' so (drunkenly?) epic.


EDIT - We have the mp3, thanks to Bill!

Southwood Plantation Road - The Hold Steady (the Mountain Goats cover)

For all you Mother Lovers out there...

In case you missed it last night, Justin Timberlake brought the funny back to SNL with his uproarious "Mother Lovers". This ones for all the MILFs out there.

Ok and now some songs that are safe to share with mom. After all it is her day!

Mother and Child Reunion - Grizzly Bear (Paul Simon cover)
Your Mother Loves You Son - Beulah
Mothers, Daughters, Sisters & Wives - Voxtrot

Yeah! Oh, Yeah!

Between his deep, deadpan voice and dry witticisms, Jens Lekman was practically bred to cover Stephin Merritt. And now finally he has. His take, along with Tracey Thorn on the Magnetic Fields classic "Yeah! Oh, Yeah!" on Score! 20 Years of Merge, The Covers is utterly glorious. One thing's for sure: we'll never fall out of love with Jens. Yeah, Oh Yeah!

Yeah! Oh, Yeah! - Jens Lekman and Tracey Thorn (Magnetic Fields cover)