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.
Paisley Park || Cover: Best Bets || Original: Prince & The Revolution
Following the iconic Purple Rain LP, Prince released Around The World In A Day 40 years ago. To celebrate that anniversary, New Zealand power pop quartet Best Bets covers its first single, Paisley Park (“Admission is easy, just say you // Believe and come to this // Place in your heart”), in their own unique style—free to download.
Kissing The Lipless || Cover: Virginity || Original: The Shins
Kissing The Lipless was the opening track of The Shins’ 2003 album Chutes Too Narrow. The emo-tinged version of Florida-based power pop five-piece Virginity seems to fit in nicely among the five self-penned songs on their Fidelity Castro EP (Smartpunk Records), one that’s definitely worth delving into.
Soy Un Animal || Cover: Thee Braindrops || Original: Thee Milkshakes
We were still recovering from last fall’s Wild Life LP by Thee Braindrops, but the Spanish-Japanese rock ‘n’ rollers are already back with new single Genética Chunga (Folc Records). On the B-side, they translate Thee Milkshakes’ I’m Out of Control—taken from 1984 record Thee Knights Of Trashe—into a catchy Spanish-language garage punk stomper.
All Day and All of the Night || Cover: Perennial || Original: The Kinks
Inspired by the mid-60s between-album EPs of bands like The Beatles (Beatles ’65) and The Who (Ready Steady Who), New England art-punk outfit Perennial released Perennial ’65 (Ernest Jenning Record Co.), featuring five diverse but always danceable tunes that keep the mod flame burning. Their take on The Kinks’ 1964 hit All Day And All Of The Night is everything you’d expect.
I Feel Fine || Cover: The Deneuves || Original: The Beatles
The Deneuves are a new indie rock band from Nice, France, I assume named after French actress Catherine Deneuve. Their eponymous debut full-length (Beaucoup De Coups) contains ten dynamic, guitar-driven songs with telling titles like The Quiet Freedom Of Self-Defeat and The Lost Art Of Fucking It All Up, which stand proudly next to their version of 1964 ditty I Feel Fine, written by Lennon-McCartney.
It’s Cold Outside || Cover: Food Fight || Original: The Choir
Remember Zeitgeist Impressions, Food Fight’s debut album from last fall? The French power pop/punk rock quartet returns with new 7″ Bercow Bell (Renegat Records). The flipside of the post-punkish A-side is an infectious cover of The Choir’s 1966 single It’s Cold Outside. An alternative version of the same song can also be found on Duane Hoover’s brand new album Wayward Path.
Drain Me || Cover: Your Heart Breaks || Original: Bad Moves
We’ve been following and loving Washington, D.C.’s power-pop quartet Bad Moves since their early days (click here for our review of last year’s Wearing Out The Refrain LP), but somehow they don’t get the cover treatment all that often. Leave that to fellow city dweller Clyde Petersen, whose band Your Heart Breaks stripped down Drain Me—from 2016’s self-titled debut EP—into a bare-bones indie pop gem.
Fortunate Son || Cover: The Lethargics || Original: Creedence Clearwater Revival
Knoxville, Tennessee’s roots rockers The Lethargics are no strangers to this blog either (a good place to start is their 2021 album Rough South Short Stories ), yet this CCR cover—written by John Fogerty, released in 1969—is a surprise at first. But it all comes together, including the here and now, in the dirty blues-rock sound and intense vocals: “It ain’t me, it ain’t me // I ain’t no senator’s son, son.” Goosebumps.
Converter || Cover: Joey Joesph || Original: Jake Borgemenke and The Converters
We move on to Cincinnati, Ohio, where two idiosyncratic singer-songwriters live up to their mutual admiration by covering each other’s work. Until recently, they hadn’t met in person, but an intensive exchange of Instagram DMs and texted voice memos led to a wonderful double cassette of sun-soaked psych-pop: Joey Joesph Plays the Songs of Jake Borgemenke and Jake Borgemenke Plays the Songs of Joey Joesph (The Eyebrow Palace)—23 songs in total, all very much worth your time.
How Glad I Am || Cover: Galactic and Irma Thomas || Original: Nancy Wilson
Legendary soul queen of New Orleans Irma Thomas (84) and her fellow citizens from funk band Galactic have released Audience With The Queen (Thirty Tigers / Tchoup-Zilla Records), nine amazing songs highly recommended for fans of funky soul, including a dark but uplifting take on Nancy Wilson’s 1964 classic How Glad I Am. “It acts as an overture to the album,” says Galactic co-founder Robert Mercurio.
Also worth mentioning:
All I Need (Radiohead) by Blackwater Holylight [from If You Only Knew EP]
Behind The Green Door (Night Beats) by Rah John [from Behind The Green Door 7″]
Casual (Chappell Roan) by NIKI [for triple j’s Like A Version]
Cat People (Putting Out Fire) (David Bowie) by The No Good Crowd [from All Right Now 7″]
Color In Your Cheeks (The Mountain Goats) by Bagged [from No Advice EP]
Devil Town (Daniel Johnston) by Vista Blue [from Clear Eyes, Full Hearts LP]
Heart of Gold (Neil Young) by Fiona Apple [from Heart of Gold: The Songs of Neil Young, Vol. 1 LP]
Hercules (Aaron Neville) by Night Owls feat. Alex Désert & The Lions
How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore (Prince) by Nenashi [from At the Crib EP]
I Want To Know What Love Is (Foreigner) by Bette Smith
Jennifer Juniper (Donovan) by Duane Hoover [from Wayward Path LP]
Laid (James) by Miya Folick [main title from the Peacock original Series Laid]
Lake Charles (Lucinda Williams) by Dean Johnson [from Blue Moon 7″]
Magic Mirror (Aphrodite’s Child) by Le Chiffre Organ-ization [from Illustration LP]
Million Dollar Riff (Skyhooks) by Elvis 2 [from Thank You Very Much LP]
Our Nature (Yuppie Flu) by The Ian Fays
Rockaway Beach (Ramones) by Little Furry Things [from Name Three Songs EP]
Strange Currencies (R.E.M.) by Louisa Stancioff
Waves of Fear (Lou Reed) by Pissed Jeans
You’ll Never Be That Young Again (Jesse Garon & The Desperadoes) by David Christian [from Teenage Highs! LP]
Check out our Dusted playlist on Spotify for more worthy cover songs.