1. Spirit Family Reunion - "Green Rocky Road" Traditional
Sandwiched in the middle of their incredible 2012 release No Separation, this traditional has become owned by the Brooklyn sextet. Green Rocky Road has been played in the past by such folk stars such as Arlo Guthrie or Elizabeth Mitchell, but none has taken the song on with such a life! Mat Davidson on fiddle & Maggie Carlson on banjo have absorbed every note and tone of the song and bring it alive.
Just watch the video once(Skip ahead to 4:05), and you will be hard pressed to not want to watch and hear more from this band. On this short 3 song set, you get a great glimpse into this jovial and upbeat band.
Spirit Family Reunion - "Green Rocky Road" Tiny Desk Concert
If you have the opportunity, go see this band live!
Pittsburgh that means YOU. Spirit Family Reunion is coming to Club Cafe on December 11th!
Previously Featured: Concert Review April 2012 or Concert Review October 2011
2. The Boxer (Featuring Jerry Douglas & Paul Simon) orig perf. by Simon & Garfunkle)
On the long awaited follow-up to Sigh No More, Mumford & Sons' sophomore release Babel, aware fans made sure to get the deluxe edition. "The Boxer' is included amongst three bonus tracks! The extra track features Paul Simon & Jerry Douglas. Although there is no match to the symphonic original. The twangy banjo on the newest version is a great touch!
Not the album version, but an excellent live version captured by Scottrek53 a fan of superb covers!
Previously Featured : Concert Review - May 2011
3. Iron & Wine - Long Black Veil written by Danny Dill and Marijohn Wilkin and originally recorded by Lefty Frizzell. Popular covers by Johnny Cash and Dave Matthews Band
Per Ironandwine.com : "Iron & Wine were honored to be a part of "We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash" in celebration of the late Cash's 80th birthday alongside Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams and many others. Iron & Wine covered "Long Black Veil" which was also covered by Johnny Cash. Full performance will be broadcast on August 10 on PBS - for now, enjoy Iron & Wine's performance!" Iron & Wine - Long Black Veil on PBS
Previously Featured: Featured Artist March 2011
4. Buke & Gase: "Blue Monday" by New Order (re-popularized by Orgy)
Made from scratch-alt-indie-awesome-rockers Buke & Gase have given a tease of their sophomore debut, releasing the Function Falls EP(buy here). Included on the four track EP is fresh take on the 30 year old New Order classic, Blue Monday(listen here)!
Previously Featured; Featured Artist May 2011
5. Rachel Ries - Elevators by Outkast
Though this clip is from 2011, I first heard in back in February when Rachel Ries opened for Anaïs
Mitchell.
Rachel Ries - Elevators (Me & You)
Previously Featured : as part of the Young Man Band with Anaïs Mitchell
6. Vatic – "Criminal" by Fiona Apple.
I pretty much stopped listening to metal, when I stopped listening to the radio. However, I just can't help my self with Vatic. Their intellect rock on 2009's Machines of Hate and Grace might scare some away with titles such as "Zombie Jesus", but the music kicks some ass. Most of the time I have the disc in, I only snap out of my trance once I realized I have listened to it about 4 times through. I was pleased to see a few new singles out on iTunes ("Meat Grenade" & "No Reign") but downright surprised to find "Criminal" on YouTube.
One of Fiona Apple singles on her wondrous debut Tidal, the song hits on all cylinders reviving it out of a 15 year sleep!
VATIC - Criminal [Brazen Digital Media - Evolved Studios WC PA] 2012
By the way, you know these guys are for real when they aren't afraid to cover Kermit The Frog
Previously featured : Concert Review...coming soon!!!
7. Head Like A Kite - Ohio (HLAK Remix) Originally by Neil Young
This remix of the classic Neil Young protest song, struck me right away. Despite heavy activity into Daydream Vacation's new album, Head Like a Kite still had time to make an awesome re-mix
8. Willie Nelson - The Scientist by Coldplay
The king of covers and being covered. Willie Nelson took part in a fundraiser via Chipotle for the Chipotle Cultivate Foundation. http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/the-scientist-single/id458479961,
in late 2011. I include it here as I enjoyed it this year being late to the download last year.
Willie Nelson - The Scientist by Coldplay It's a great cover, get the song, donate the $.60 and enjoy the full song. It really brings out the meaning of the lyrics done Willie style.
While we're on the topic of Willie, did you know that Cake's "Sad Songs and Waltzes" is a Willie Nelson, cover? Yeah, neither did I.
9. Walk Off The earth – "Somebody That I Used to Know by" Gotye
138 Million views!! Over half of those were in the first two months of 2012. Is there anything else that needs to be said? I guess maybe PLEASE retire for 2013.
"Somebody That I Used to Know" - Walk off the Earth (Gotye - Cover)
Of course, you also can't forget the hilarious parody of that cover
The Key of Awesome! : Somebody That I Used To Know - WOTE Parody! Key of Awesome #55!
Previously Featured : Cover Song of the Week February 2012
Worst cover of 2012 - Florence + The Machine ft. Josh Homme - Jackson (MTV Unplugged)
I can't really do a best of list without comparing Best to the worst. Johnny Cash's "Jackson" is a great fun song to cover. It's been done fantastically by Providence's Brown Bird, so I was excited to see it on the playlist of Florence and the Machine's MTV Unplugged album. I got a little nervous when I saw it was a duet with Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age. And yup, it tanked.. total bomb.
Sandwiched in the middle of their incredible 2012 release No Separation, this traditional has become owned by the Brooklyn sextet. Green Rocky Road has been played in the past by such folk stars such as Arlo Guthrie or Elizabeth Mitchell, but none has taken the song on with such a life! Mat Davidson on fiddle & Maggie Carlson on banjo have absorbed every note and tone of the song and bring it alive.
Just watch the video once(Skip ahead to 4:05), and you will be hard pressed to not want to watch and hear more from this band. On this short 3 song set, you get a great glimpse into this jovial and upbeat band. Spirit Family Reunion - "Green Rocky Road" Tiny Desk Concert
If you have the opportunity, go see this band live!
Pittsburgh that means YOU. Spirit Family Reunion is coming to Club Cafe on December 11th!
Previously Featured: Concert Review April 2012 or Concert Review October 2011
2. The Boxer (Featuring Jerry Douglas & Paul Simon) orig perf. by Simon & Garfunkle)
Not the album version, but an excellent live version captured by Scottrek53 a fan of superb covers!
Previously Featured : Concert Review - May 2011
3. Iron & Wine - Long Black Veil written by Danny Dill and Marijohn Wilkin and originally recorded by Lefty Frizzell. Popular covers by Johnny Cash and Dave Matthews Band
Per Ironandwine.com : "Iron & Wine were honored to be a part of "We Walk the Line: A Celebration of the Music of Johnny Cash" in celebration of the late Cash's 80th birthday alongside Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams and many others. Iron & Wine covered "Long Black Veil" which was also covered by Johnny Cash. Full performance will be broadcast on August 10 on PBS - for now, enjoy Iron & Wine's performance!" Iron & Wine - Long Black Veil on PBS
Previously Featured: Featured Artist March 2011
4. Buke & Gase: "Blue Monday" by New Order (re-popularized by Orgy)
Made from scratch-alt-indie-awesome-rockers Buke & Gase have given a tease of their sophomore debut, releasing the Function Falls EP(buy here). Included on the four track EP is fresh take on the 30 year old New Order classic, Blue Monday(listen here)! Previously Featured; Featured Artist May 2011
5. Rachel Ries - Elevators by Outkast
Though this clip is from 2011, I first heard in back in February when Rachel Ries opened for Anaïs
Mitchell.
Rachel Ries - Elevators (Me & You)
Previously Featured : as part of the Young Man Band with Anaïs Mitchell
6. Vatic – "Criminal" by Fiona Apple.
I pretty much stopped listening to metal, when I stopped listening to the radio. However, I just can't help my self with Vatic. Their intellect rock on 2009's Machines of Hate and Grace might scare some away with titles such as "Zombie Jesus", but the music kicks some ass. Most of the time I have the disc in, I only snap out of my trance once I realized I have listened to it about 4 times through. I was pleased to see a few new singles out on iTunes ("Meat Grenade" & "No Reign") but downright surprised to find "Criminal" on YouTube.
One of Fiona Apple singles on her wondrous debut Tidal, the song hits on all cylinders reviving it out of a 15 year sleep!
VATIC - Criminal [Brazen Digital Media - Evolved Studios WC PA] 2012
By the way, you know these guys are for real when they aren't afraid to cover Kermit The Frog
Previously featured : Concert Review...coming soon!!!
7. Head Like A Kite - Ohio (HLAK Remix) Originally by Neil Young
This remix of the classic Neil Young protest song, struck me right away. Despite heavy activity into Daydream Vacation's new album, Head Like a Kite still had time to make an awesome re-mix
8. Willie Nelson - The Scientist by Coldplay
in late 2011. I include it here as I enjoyed it this year being late to the download last year.
Willie Nelson - The Scientist by Coldplay It's a great cover, get the song, donate the $.60 and enjoy the full song. It really brings out the meaning of the lyrics done Willie style.
While we're on the topic of Willie, did you know that Cake's "Sad Songs and Waltzes" is a Willie Nelson, cover? Yeah, neither did I.
9. Walk Off The earth – "Somebody That I Used to Know by" Gotye
138 Million views!! Over half of those were in the first two months of 2012. Is there anything else that needs to be said? I guess maybe PLEASE retire for 2013.
"Somebody That I Used to Know" - Walk off the Earth (Gotye - Cover)
Of course, you also can't forget the hilarious parody of that cover
The Key of Awesome! : Somebody That I Used To Know - WOTE Parody! Key of Awesome #55!
Previously Featured : Cover Song of the Week February 2012
Worst cover of 2012 - Florence + The Machine ft. Josh Homme - Jackson (MTV Unplugged)
I can't really do a best of list without comparing Best to the worst. Johnny Cash's "Jackson" is a great fun song to cover. It's been done fantastically by Providence's Brown Bird, so I was excited to see it on the playlist of Florence and the Machine's MTV Unplugged album. I got a little nervous when I saw it was a duet with Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age. And yup, it tanked.. total bomb.
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