It’s no secret that tribute albums and charity compilations can be hit-or-miss affairs at best. In the case of the latter, all you can really do is be happy that you’re supporting a good cause, and hope that the music is more hit than miss. Two important charity albums have recently appeared, and when I say important, I don’t just mean for the causes they’re helping, but also for the virtual who’s who of contemporary indie artists that has contributed tracks to them. If you could somehow assemble all of the buzz that these artists have collected, you could light the universe. In other words, to the naked eye, it’s a music blogger’s dream.
The Red Hot Organization has been using pop culture to fight the good fight against AIDS since 1989. They have released 14 albums together with related television shows and media events, and have raised $7 million to date. Their most recent project is called Dark Was the Night (4AD Records). It’s an enormous 30-song effort that has been curated by brothers Aaron and Bryce Dessner of the National. In addition to a track from the National, contributors include Bon Iver, The Decemberists, Arcade Fire, Sufjan Stevens, Grizzly Bear, Andrew Bird, Feist, and a host of others.
Let me say right up front that apparently Bon Iver can do no wrong. From Justin Vernon’s nearly perfect debut album, For Emma, Forever Ago, to his recently released Blood Bank EP, and now, this album’s best track “Brackett, WI,” there have been few, if any, missteps. Vernon is also involved here in an intriguing collaboration with Aaron Dessner called “Big Red Machine.”
Sufjan Stevens’ contribution, “You Are the Blood,” reminds me that it’s been too long since we’ve had new music from him. Antony and Bryce Dessner duet on a beautiful version of the traditional “I Was Young When I Left Home.” Yes, Feist is here, combining with Ben Gibbard of Death Cab For Cutie on “Train Song,” and with Grizzly Bear on “Service Bell.” (more…)
Cat Power (aka Chan Marshall) makes two ballsy moves with her new album, Jukebox, largely considered her second covers album, though it contains two originals. She leads off with the first, a cover of “New York, Now York.” It’s a courageous move, not only because it’s such a famous song, but also because on this album, it’s the song furthest from her existing aesthetics. She takes an interesting approach to it, making it sound like she’s succumbing to the city’s seductions, as opposed to Sinatra’s swaggering pseudo-dominance.
Cat Power, “New York” (download)
The second bold move is covering her own song, “Metal Heart.” Originally on Moon Pix and now about 10 years old, the first version of “Metal Heart” rests on a simple arrangement of acoustic guitar with a light smattering of drums. Her vocals compete with the music and the reverb, making it sound like she’s fighting to be heard, which is a compelling treatment for a song that borrows the line, “I once was lost / but now I’m found / I was blind / but now I see you.” She’s somewhat older now, and you can hear it in her voice on the update — she sings as though she’s reflecting on the memory of the song. This is exactly what she’s doing, but naturally the song was more powerful when performed closer to its birth. (more…)
