Whitney Plays Wilco, Bill Callahan and HAIM Play Leonard Cohen, and More Covers Released Today

In addition to a full LP of Tom Waits covers, we’re getting more than our fill of new takes on classics this morning.
Whitney Plays Wilco, Bill Callahan and HAIM Play Leonard Cohen, and More Covers Released Today

In addition to a full LP of Tom Waits covers, we’re getting more than our fill of new takes on classics this morning.

Words: Mike LeSuer

photo by Olivia Bee

November 22, 2019

Whether or not it’s officially been deemed so, November 22, 2019 marks the first annual Covers Dump—the one day a year when all your favorite artists pledge allegiance to their own favs with a thoughtful rendition of the songs that inspire them most. We knew well in advance that a full LP of Tom Waits covers from the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, Courtney Marie Andrews, and more female songwriters was being released by Dualtone today, but a slew of additional surprise-released homages were also announced this AM.

Most notable among these is a reverent take on Wilco from fellow Chicagoans and heirs to the Midwest alt-country throne Whitney, who tacked the B-side “Far, Far Away”—originally from Wilco’s 1996 album Being There—on their newly released single “FTA.” Coincidentally, we also got two Leonard Cohen covers on the release day of the songwriter’s posthumous Thanks for the Dance, HAIM’s glowing take on 1984’s “If It Be Your Will” and Bill Callahan’s folkier rendition of “So Long, Marianne.” 

Lastly, Don Giovanni announced a 7-inch split in support of Laura Stevenson and Adult Mom’s December tour wherein the two songwriters take a stab at each others’ tracks, Stevenson offering up a wispy take on “Survival” and Stevie Knipe giving “Dermatillomania” a go. And although they’re not quite covers, we may as well also draw your attention to the very Jlin remix of St. Vincent’s “Smoking Section” and the even more Mike Shinoda reworking of Foxing’s “Grand Paradise” (sorry, no rap verse).

Oh, and here’s this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HSs7RhJXEKQ&feature=emb_title