by Amber Goodwyn
One of the first albums I ever bought was Annie Lennox’s Medusa back in 1995. The otherworldy lead single “No More I Love You’s” had transfixed my young imagination and I made my way to the mall with a pocketful of dollars. I listened to that album over and over again, singing along, teaching myself Lennox’s vocal tricks by parroting them.
It was much later when I learned that Medusa was a cover album with songs written by The Talking Heads, Neil Young and many others. Cover albums are interesting collections, aren’t they? Different than collections of standards that jazz and country musicians often make, cover albums seem to be dreamy indulgences, homages, or fun exercises pop musicians create sometimes. I mean, don’t we all have an unrecorded cover album in our hearts? I sure do — and it would certainly have to feature a Kate Bush song (or two) and some Patti Smith Group.
So I, uh, took an informal Facebook poll (cough) of people’s recommended cover albums and came up with this list for ya based on some of my friend’s recommendations: Pussy Galore’s Exile on Main Street (1986), a compilation called Taste of Savage featuring artists toasting Arbutus Records’ wacky popmeister Sean Nicholas Savage (2013), Emm Gryner’s Girl Versions (2001), Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds’ Kicking Against the Pricks (1986), and the Freedom of Choice compilation featuring a bunch of ’90s bands like Redd Kross and Sonic Youth covering new wave tunes.
HERE BE SHOWS
If yer on the hunt for some hardcore, you’d be well satisfied by the Bermuda Love show on Thursday, Nov. 28 at the SCES Club, where they’ll be joined by other bands RDCP, Birch Hills and Sea of Dead Serpents. New Regina rock band Treebeard (mem. from Slim City Pickers) cut loose on Friday, Dec. 6 at the SCES Club alongside Lost Sherpas (mem. of Black Thunder) and William Wenaus.
In my ears: Freelove Fenner’s new album Do Not Affect A Breezy Manner
Check in: ag@prairiedogmag.com