Cover Me!
June 28, 2006
Grant-Lee Phillips (principal of Grant Lee Buffalo and the troubadour on Gilmore Girls) is out this week with a new collection of acoustic covers of '80s songs called Nineteeneighties. This album seems to following something of a mini-trend of CDs built entirely of covers. Slaid Cleaves' latest, Unsung, is all songs of songwriters that you may never have heard of - and Jim loves it. An eclectic group of artists - including Tim O'Brien, Steve Earle, Bela Fleck, Guster and Marc Broussard - pay tribute to Randy Newman's work on Sail Away. Susanna Hoffs (from the Bangles) and pop singer/songwriter Matthew Sweet put out Under the Covers, a nice set of obscure and not-so-obscure '60s pop, around the same time as the Springsteen Seeger Sessions. And, Dave Alvin's new CD, West of the West, is covers of California singer/songwriters (listen to Dave on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross).
My favorite out of all of the covers I've heard recently has to be HEM doing REM's (see, it rhymes) So. Central Rain, which is also on the Grant-Lee Phillips album, bringing my ramble full circle. Do you have a favorite folk or acoustic cover of a rock tune? Please share!
Posted by Ann VerWiebe at 9:48 AM
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Talk to Them Later!
June 19, 2006
I was at a concert this weekend (the entire event will remain anonymous) that was really spoiled for me by the people behind and in front of me who seemed to think that it would be fun to have a running conversation with the musicians on stage. Between the random arm waving, inappropriate clapping and shouting, it made concentrating on the songs a challenge (how drunk do you have to be to think that you are as important as the act on stage - hey, buddy, I don't care where you're from). I couldn't help but think that this must happen to artists all of the time and it must be a pain - especially in a small space. So I hear-by make a pledge that I will only participate if invited. I will cheer in a non-annoying way (apologies to Steven Page of Barenaked Ladies - I really didn't think you could hear me shriek in a venue the size of Gund Arena. But it was a shrill and extended shriek, so I'm not so sure now. NB - for good or bad, I was not drinking.), sing along in my head unless urged otherwise from onstage, not shout to friends or dance when everyone else is sitting. And, if I have something to say to the band, I will wait until after the concert is over and take my turn.
Posted by Ann VerWiebe at 3:49 PM
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Comments (32)
