For its 2010 Revival Recordings project, Levi’s Pioneer Sessions roped in artists ranging from Dirty Projectors and Passion Pit to Bomba Estereo and the Roots to cover timeless tracks that influenced them.
It all kicked off with Nas’ take on Slick Rick’s “Hey Young World,” and has since seen She & Him, the Swell Season, the Shins, and others take on everyone from Rick Nelson to Smashing Pumpkins in a celebration of the lasting power of classic songs. There are still two more tracks to come, and all 13 covers are available to download for free.
Over the past week, it’s been really hot and then really wet and unseasonably cold in New York. The weather can’t make up its mind, but luckily we’ve already decided on the week’s ten best new jams, all oven fresh. We’ve got The Shins covering Squeeze, Wavves moving beyond acid, and fantastic releases from brand new acts like Everything Everything and Graffiti6. Whether you want to listen to them one at a time or all at once is up to you. Be sure to Right Click + Save As after the jump, or scroll to the bottom to download the entire mix.
The concept behind Peter Gabriel’s forthcoming album Scratch My Back is simple: The artist records his favorite tracks by everyone from David Bowie to Radiohead to The Magnetic Fields, and the musicians he has selected complete the song swap by covering a selection from Gabriel’s extensive songbook.
The list we’ve assembled here was inspired by a different kind of reciprocity — that is, of indie rockers showing appreciation for their own kind. So far, only one of these tributes has been mutual but that isn’t to say that we shouldn’t keep our fingers crossed for more. After the jump, check out ten indie acts covering 10 other indie acts’ singles. We think you’ll agree that imitation is the highest form of flattery.
“[James] Mercer has teamed up with producer extraordinaire/one half of Gnarls Barkley Danger Mouse to form a new band. The band’s name is still up in the air, but they’re going with Broken Bells for the time being. The debut from Broken Bells (or whichever name they decide to go with, I guess) is due early next year on Columbia.”
Admittedly less shocking news than the return of Flea, but still. Read More »
In all his bearded glory, The Shins frontman James Mercer comes out of indie obscurity and stars in a film that tackles the equally obscure question, “Why do the good times go by so fast while the difficult times always seem so sticky?” Writer/director Matt McCormick’s Some Days are Better Than Others attempts to find an answer through “awkward characters who maintain hope by inventing their own forms of communication and self-fulfillment.” Don’t worry, it’s not awkward in the Michael Cera-ian sense. Trailer and screenshots after the jump.
We just got an email that The Dodos‘ new album Time To Die — which leaked earlier this month — is available digitally (and legally!) today at Amazon MP3 for just $2.99. The physical album is still due out on September 15th; the digital version hits other retailers next week. If you prefer to listen to the music before you throw down three bones, you can head over to TimeToDie.net for a high quality stream first. Read More »
for just $2.99. The physical album is still due out on September 15th; the digital version hits other retailers next week. If you prefer to listen to the music before you throw down three bones, you can head over to 
