Cool Covers

 

Went to see this movie, The Watchmen, over the weekend.   So did a lot of other people, apparently – it’s the No. 1 movie right now.  This dark, violent superhero tale was pretty entertaining and had some fairly good choices of music on the soundtrack: “All Along The Watchtower” by Jimi Hendrix, “The Sounds of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel and a hilariously elongated version of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A’ Changin’ ” over the opening credits montage.

But the most ear-catching tune is the one that plays as the closing credits roll: a rockin’ punk version of Dylan’s “Desolation Row” by My Chemical Romance.  The band is supposedly recording a followup to their hit album The Black Parade, and it’s been said the new work will be more “punk rock” than normal.   If their version of “Desolation Row” is any indication, it ought to be a fun listen.

MP3: “Desolation Row” by My Chemical Romance

Speaking of punk rock, the Replacements were a classic band from the end of the punk era that rode New Wave into fame in the early 1980s.  “Can’t Hardly Wait,” from the album Pleased To Meet Me, is one of the Replacements’ best songs – and it gets an Americana treatment on Justin Townes Earle’s new album Midnight At The Movies.

MP3: “Can’t Hardly Wait” by Justin Townes Earle

We caught Denver indie-rock gods DeVotchKa at SXSW a few years ago, and we were blown away by the album from last year, A Mad And Faithful Telling.  Most people remember them as the band that provided the music for the movie Little Miss Sunshine.  Starbuck’s has a Valentine’s Day comp out, and DeVotchKa turned in this very nice cover of the Flying Burrito Brothers’ “Hot Burrito No. 1.”

MP3: “Hot Burrito No. 1 (I’m Your Toy)” by DeVotchKa

Our blogging peers over at Aquarium Drunkard have a great deal: a completely free download of Paul McCartney’s Ram, as covered by L.A.-area indie artists.  Go here to get the download and think about tossing a few coins in the pot for their charity: No More Landmines, a cause championed by Sir Paul his own bad self.

MP3: “Eat At Home” by the Broken West

And last week we reviewed War Child Presents: Heroes, another charity album of covers.  The gimmick here was that they asked the artists who created legendary songs of the 1960s and 1970s to pick a song and pick a current artist to cover it.  The album is pretty good, although it has a few rough patches.  Here’s one that’s just plain odd: Lily Allen covering the Clash’s “Straight To Hell,” with help from Mick Jones his own bad self.  Strange, but strangely entertaining.

MP3: “Straight To Hell” by Lily Allen (featuring Mick Jones)