Monday, March 31, 2008

covers: Bjork

"My headphones, they saved my life"
Stereogum dropped a bomb today with the third incarnation of their covers project. We were big fans of the Drive: Automatic for the People(especially covers by Bodies of Water and Shout Out Louds), and, of course, the fantastic OKX: Tribute to OK Computer. This time they've tackled Bjork's Post, the Icelandic princesses second solo record and some say her best. Personally, my favorite is Homogenic, but who cares.

After a first listen we're really digging Atlas Sound's version of Post closer "Headphones", which sounds like it was recorded in an underwater garden. S'gum really couldn't have picked a better candidate to deliver the classic lyric "My headphones, they saved my life/ Your tape, it lulled me to sleep." While Bradford gets dreamy, Dirty Projectors transform "Hyperballad" (aka the best Bjork song ever) into a jangly tropical jam akin to the sound of the Belizean jungle. In a similar use of summery sounds, Barcelona's El Guincho does his loopy SP-404 shit on "Cover Me."

Also really feeling the distortion fueled, shot gun blasts of "Army of Me" by the Liars, which is so sinister it makes the original sound like a lullaby. Some covers don't stray too far from the original, as is the case with High Places "The Modern Things" and Bell's "It's Oh So Quiet". Another highlight, one sure to end up on mixtapes for years to come, is Final Fantasy & Ed Droste's (Grizzly Bear) cover of "Possibly Maybe", which gets the blessing of Owen Pallette's signature string arrangements and Ed's ethereal voice. Also pretty impressed by White Hinterland's "I Miss You." Basically, this covers album is the f'ing shit, so download it asap. Full .zip file below, as well as a few of our favorites.

Oh yeah, if you haven't seen the new Bjork video for "Wanderlust", do it now. While the quality kinda sucks online, we're gonna highly recommend picking it up on DVD, especially for the 3-D version. Bjork, CGI and 3-D equals a stoned evening in heaven.

Enjoyed: A Tribute to Bjork's Post
Full .Zip

High Places- The Modern Things
Final Fantasy & Ed Droste- Possibly Maybe
Atlas Sound- Headphones

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