Wherein I recommend not one, not two, but three tribute albums each showcasing the work of others, redone. All three of these albums get high marks from this corner.
CONDO FUCKS-“ Fuckbook”
Condo Fucks are basically Yo La Tengo, even though their album comes with a warning that “This is not the new Yo La Tengo album.” YLT have been the subject of much praise from my site over the years, having released fascinating original material in addition to their great covers, such as in “Fakebook,” the album obviously parodied here.
Fuckbook is nothing like those wonderful projects.
Instead, it is pure punk—sloppy, thrown-together covers that go by, one imagines, as quickly as they were recorded. Fortunately, though, they sound as fun as they probably were to make: Raw, dirty, fuzzy, and thoroughly unpredictable. You’ll find a wide variety of songs here (unlike the other two tributes featured in this post, each of which focus on one particular artist), including covers of tunes by Small Faces, The Troggs, Slade, and The Flamin’ Groovies. And this little number:
This is Where I Belong (Kinks cover)-Condo Fucks (YSI)
PHOSPHORESCENT-“To Willie.”
Yes, it’s Willie Nelson covers.
Duh.
But rather than focus on the mainstream hits, Phosphorescent goes deeper into Nelson’s catalog to snag his cooler, more country songs like “Reasons to Quit” and “I Gotta Get Drunk.” I’m really digging the hipsway groove over these funny, straightforward tunes. I missed out on Phosphorescent’s debut, and this record makes me wanna buy it.
I Gotta Get Drunk-Phosphorescent
Bonus version of the same song!
I Gotta Get Drunk-Redbird (YSI)
EL MICHELS AFFAIR-“Walk On By: A Tribute To Isaac Hayes EP”
And the coup de grace of this post is delivered by El Michels Affair, who’ve done some great work in the past on remixes and the like have come together for this half-hour tribute to a man so great that I named my dog after him. A few of these tunes have already been released (“Hung Up On My Baby” and “Walk on By”) but the rest, including the so-funky-I-almost-came version Bumpy’s Lament. And some day soon, we’ve been promised a release of “The 37th Chamber,” El Michels Affair’s take on songs by Wu Tang Clan. That will be huge, so if you go out and copy this record first, when 37th Chamber drops you’ll be able to say you’ve known about El Michels Affair for, like, ever, dude. You’ll be so in the know.
And speaking of 37th chamber, we got the advanced hook up. Dolla dolla bill y’all!
