NJ piano-man/singer-songwriter Ian McGlynn deserves serious kudos for his gorgeously sparse take on The National’s “Mistaken For Strangers” (featured on his recent Memorial Day Parade EP). Gone is Matt Berninger’s boozed-out baritone replaced by McGlynn’s gently enunciated falsetto, transforming the darkly sardonic tune into a lovely lullabye for the lonely. Do check it out, along with “Small Town, Big Hearts” (an original tune from McGlynn’s recent LP, This Is The Sound).

MP3:
Ian McGlynn - “Mistaken For Strangers” (The National cover)
The National - “Mistaken For Strangers”

BONUS MP3:
Ian McGlynn - “Small Town, Big Hearts”

While The Decemberists’ “The Rake’s Song” may be the greatest song ever written about filicide, it’s certainly not a topic that induces most people to move their feet. Yet, leave it to Ruby Isle, the self-described Party Band of the Apocalypse, to spin the cautionary tale of child murders into both a highly danceable electro-pop tune and a music video featuring a neon pink gorilla running through a blizzard.

MP3:
Ruby Isle - “The Rake’s Song” (The Decemberists cover)

VIDEO:

Last week at the Arctic Monkeys’ first show in over a year, the group debuted four new songs (”Dangerous Animals”, “Pretty Visitors”, “Go-Kart” and “Crying Lightning”) from their highly anticipated Josh Homme-produced third album to a packed New Zealand crowd. As a bonus, the A-Monks topped off their set with an encore cover of Nick Cave’s “Red Right Hand.”

MP3s:
Arctic Monkeys - “Crying Lightning” (Live @ Wellington Town Hall 1.13.09)
Arctic Monkeys - “Go-Kart” (Live @ Wellington Town Hall 1.13.09)
Arctic Monkeys - “Pretty Visitors” (Live @ Wellington Town Hall 1.13.09)
Arctic Monkeys - “Dangerous Animals” (Live @ Wellington Town Hall 1.13.09)
Arctic Monkeys - “Red Right Hand” (Live @ Wellington Town Hall 1.13.09)

DOWNLOAD FULL SHOW:
Arctic Monkeys Live @ Wellington Town Hall 1.13.09

If you weren’t at The Flaming Lips show in OKC on NYE, you not only missed an amazing show and the opportunity to see me dressed as a matador…you also missed the Lips covering Prince’s “Purple Rain!” Wayne clearly had as much fun singing the song as it was for the audience to hear it (”Weekend lover…I don’t know what that means!”) Thankfully, Liz had her camera nearby to capture one of the best omens that 2009 is going to be a spectacular year!

MP3:
The Flaming Lips - “Purple Rain” (Prince cover)
Prince - “Purple Rain”

VIDEO:

Five more points to First Aid Kit for recording a better quality version of Fleet Foxes’ “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song,” a must-hear cover if you haven’t listened to it already! The Swedish duo’s “forest version” was quite lovely, but you’ll definitely want to put this one in your headphones! Thanks, Klara & Johanna!

MP3:
First Aid Kit - “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song” (New & Improved Fleet Foxes Cover)
Fleet Foxes - “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song”

PREVIOUSLY:
First Aid Kit Covers Fleet Foxes’ “Tiger Mountain Peasant Song”