The Best Covers of Spring 2011

In the previous entry in this series, we pointed out how Winter 2011 had been a largely regressive period for indie music.  By contrast, the Spring has proven overwhelmingly innovative.  Bands like tUnE-yArDs and Battles have brought a sense of adventure to traditional indie pop, and Bon Iver‘s Justin Vernon has continued his career-long project to re-invent folk music with his latest classic.

Still, amidst all the newness, sometimes we all need some musical comfort food.  Such is the role of the cover tune, that lightning bolt to your hippocampus, that three-minute psychic hug.  While some of Spring’s best copies were in adventurous harmony with the rest of the season, many others evoked the simplicity of youth as only a distant memory can.  Without further ado, we bring you our top 5 cover songs of Spring 2011.

Dum Dum Girls

5. Dum Dum Girls – “September Gurls” (Big Star Cover)

Dum Dum Girls are becoming regulars in this column.  After landing the #2 spot on last season’s list with their astonishing cover of The Smith’s “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out,” the California quartet is back this month with their performance of this Big Star classic for The Onion’s A.V. Club. Hearing this tune of young male love an angst sung by an all-female group is…well, let’s just say we’ve got it bad.

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Fol Chen

4. Fol Chen – “I Walked” (Sufjan Stevens Cover)

Fol Chen in an indie-electronic group from Los Angeles that releases its music on the label Asthmatic Kitty.  Their most prominent label-mate is folk savant Sufjan Stevens, whose most recent record The Age of Adz finished 6th on our top 40 albums of 2010.  “I Walked” was one of that record’s stand-outs, and Fol Chen have turned the song into a subtler, sexier tune without sacrificing its spirit.

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Buddy Holly signpost

3. My Morning Jacket – “True Love Ways” (Buddy Holly Cover)

June 28th will see the release of Rave On, a tribute to Buddy Holly featuring covers from the likes of Black Keys, Modest Mouse, Patti Smith (!), Lou Reed (!!!), and others.  Several songs have leaked out at this point, and none has been more heart-rending than this respectful version of “True Love Ways” by My Morning Jacket.  True greatness honored.

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Rivers Cuomo

2. Weezer – “Paranoid Android” (Radiohead Cover)

I’ll be honest with you: there’s nothing particularly revelatory about this cover.  It is a fairly straight-ahead rendition of a great song by a great band.  But, let’s be honest again: if you came of age in the 1990s, you skipped this blurb entirely and just hit play.   Radiohead.  Weezer.  Come on.

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Bon Iver

1. Bon Iver – “I Can’t Make You Love Me/Nick Of Time” (Bonnie Raitt Cover)

This motherfucker can’t miss.  Bonnie Raitt?  Seriously?  Yes, seriously.  Listen and stand in awe.

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L.V. Lopez is co-editor of Frontier Psychiatrist.  He recently reviewed new records from tUnE-yArDs and Tyler, the Creator.  He is made from bits of real panther.