Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of November 2024

Not all new music is really new, as many artists cover songs. Sometimes these are songs by their favorite artists, eg as a tribute to such a musical hero for a special reason, or they simply feel that a song deserves to be dusted and polished to reacquaint fans with great songs from the past. Other times, bands cover songs as a parody. Regardless of intent, some of those cover versions are so good or so much fun, we’d like to put a spotlight on them. Chosen from a wide range, here are – in random order – ten of our favorite covers from last month – links to the pages where you can add them to your wantlist included.

In November, Haruomi Hosono (by various artists), Margo Guryan (various artists), Green Day (Billy Cobb) and Joy Division (The Routes) were put in the spotlight, and numerous Christmas classics were given new packaging, but here we list some other choice cuts.

Empty Sky || Cover: The Fleshtones || Original: Elton John
Forty-five years after their first release, New York garage rock legends The Fleshtones dropped a new worthy long-player, titled It​’​s Getting Late (​…​and More Songs About Werewolves), out on Yep Roc. Besides strong self-penned songs like Way of the World and Wah Wah Power, there are good covers of The Hearse (written by Lee Hazlewood, first released by Al Casey) and Empty Sky (written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, first released by Roy Everett but a month later also by Elton John), all in the band’s signature sound.

Suffragette City || Cover: The Komets || Original: David Bowie
Mighty Long Way is the apt title of the new album by Finnish troublemakers The Komets, out on Grey Beton Records. It contains fourteen high-octane rock ‘n’ roll songs with heavy riffs and powerful vocals, including this cover that stays pretty true to the amazing Bowie original.

Starry Eyes || Cover: Tony Marsico and the Ugly Thingz || Original: R. Ericson & Bleibalien
On the debut full-length No Future by American singer/songwriter/bassist Tony Marsico​ (The Plugz, Cruzados), Loren Molinare and Rob Klonel—along with others on select tracks—all ten tracks sound so familiar that you suspect they are covers. However, as far as I know, that only applies to this popular 1975 B-side by Roky Erickson, which fits perfectly on this pop-sensitive garage rock record, out on Rum Bar Records.

Kaze Wo Atsumete || Cover: SUPER 8 || Original: Happy End
SUPER 8 aka British singer/songwriter Paul ‘Trip’ Ryan goes J Pop on his latest EP, out via Think Like A Key Music. In addition to a self-penned reimagined song, we get a Japanese-language version of The Beatles’ I Need You, a cover of Tenniscoats’ Baibaba Bimba, and two takes on Happy End’s cult classic Kaze Wo Atsumette, known from the Lost In Translation soundtrack.

Everybody Hurts || Cover: Al Green || Original: R.E.M.
I didn’t see this coming, but it’s a great release from Fat Possum Records. Together with a 14-piece band, the legendary singer, now 78, adds a healthy dose of soul to the beautiful 1993 single Everybody Hurts. He explains: “I could really feel the heaviness of the song and I wanted to inject a little touch of hope and light into it. There’s always a presence of light that can break through those times of darkness.” Amen.

Feel So Different || Cover: Sharon Van Etten & Ezra Furman || Original: Sinéad O’Connor
The tension of transness in the Western gender binary is at the heart of TRAИƧA, the latest compilation from non-profit organization Red Hot. It features no fewer than 46 songs—covers galore—by over 100 artists, including contributions from Jeff Tweedy (with Claire Rousay), Moses Sumney (with ANOHNI), Perfume Genius (with Low’s Alan Sparhawk), Adrianne Lenker, and so on and so forth. Below you will hear the beautiful collaboration of Sharon Van Etten and Ezra Furman on an essential Sinéad O’Connor anthem, recorded just a few weeks before her death.

Barstool Blues || Cover: Andrew Gabbard || Original: Neil Young & Crazy Horse
Ohio’s singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Andrew Gabbard released his third solo LP, Ramble & Rave On!, through the commendable Colemine Records. Among the twelve soulful songs you’ll also find this more than successful cover.

God Only Knows || Cover: SYML || Original: The Beach Boys
Seattle-based singer/songwriter/musician/producer SYML aka Brian Leseney Fennel already had a mythical cover to his name with Mr. Sandman (written by Pat Ballard, first recorded by Vaughn Monroe in 1954), as featured in the Killing Eve series. On his new 6-track EP Infinity, out via Nettwerk, he dares to take on this unbeatable classic, and he does so with gusto.

So Far Away || Cover: FIDLAR || Original: Carole King
I guess it’s safe to say that the most appealing covers are genre-bending and divergent from the original. Leave that to Californian garage punk band FIDLAR, who stripped down and roughed up both the arrangement and lyrics of a piano ballad from Carole King’s 1971 masterpiece Tapestry. While it’s not as wild as their usual sound, it suits them well, and even works somewhat hypnotically thanks to the repeated chorus. The accompanying video is set to footage from this year’s tour, promoting their new album Surviving The Dream.

All I Want for Christmas Is You || Cover: The Surfrajettes || Original: Mariah Carey
There’s too much new Christmas music coming out in every conceivable style and genre to ignore altogether—apparently it fills a certain need in these dark times—so let’s highlight one of the biggest hits. Hot on the heels of their Easy as Pie LP, Canadian surf combo The Surfrajettes released a sweet single on limited edition green/marshmallow splatter colored 7″ vinyl through Hi-Tide Recordings, with original tune Marshmallow March on the A-side, and an instrumental surf version of All I Want For Christmas Is You on the B-side.

Also worth mentioning:
Born To Lose (Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers ) by Yee Loi
Eleanor Rigby  (The Beatles) by PP Arnold (from Live in Liverpool LP)
Good Luck, Babe! (Chappell Roan) by Franz Ferdinand (Jo Whiley Sofa Session, BBC 2)
Heart Full Of Soul (The Yardbirds) by The Embrooks
I Wanna
(Jordana) by TOLEDO
Johnsburg, Illinois (Tom Waits) by Soap and Skin (from Torso LP)
Just Like Heaven (The Cure) by Coheed and Cambria
The Letter (The Box Tops) by Skky Phoenix & The Armadillos (from Sour Gold EP)
Love Me Do (The Beatles) by Smash Mouth
Mental Retard (Riverdales) by Dirty Cheetah
New York I Love You, But You’re Bringing Me Down (LCD Soundsystem) by English Teacher (from Live from BBC Maida Vale EP)
Oysters In My Pocket (Royel Otis) by King Stingray (for Like A Version)
Personal Jesus as Kisisel Isa (Depeche Mode) by Al-Qasar feat. Sibel (from Uncovered LP)
Shine a Light (The Rolling Stones) by Howlin Rain (from Lost At Sea LP)
Take a Picture (Margo Guryan) by Frankie Cosmos & Good Morning (from Like Someone I Know comp)
Waterloo Sunset (The Kinks) by Out Of Love (from Tuff Luv EP)
Youngblood
(5 Seconds of Summer) by 3% (for Like A Version)

Check out our Dusted playlist on Spotify for more cool cover songs.

1 thought on “Dusted || The 10 Best Cover Songs Of November 2024”

  1. Pingback: New EP: The CTMF || For Your Love - Add To Wantlist

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