Our Top 10 Cover Songs of 2011

Del LeFevre’s 
Top 10 Cover Songs of 2011 

10. Owen Pallett – Hard To Explain (The Strokes): Picking one standout from Stereogum’s stellar Strokes tribute album was pretty damn tough…but if I had to go with one I have to go with Owen Pallett’s totally overstuffed with pianos and strings rendition.

9. James Collins – The Passenger (Iggy Pop): So soft and slow compared to the Iggy Pop original. I imagine this is what Iggy Pop sounds like to everyone post heroin injection. Not that I am endorsing heroin.

8. Kele - Goodbye Horses (Q Lazzarus): Kele looks like he might never make his way to Bloc Party. That makes me beyond sad. The only thing that can even remotely lift my spirits is this danceable cover.

7. Oh Land – Bloodbuzz, Oh (The National): I feel better about my sexuality when I trade in Matt Berginer’s steady baritone in for Oh Land’s sexy siren call. Those two could do so much damage together.

6. Karen O & Trent Reznor – The Immigrant Song (Led Zeppelin): It’s pretty fucking hard to reinvent a Led Zeppelin song. Their music is timeless. It took the combined forces of Karen O and Trent Reznor to shake the Led Zep stink off of this classic.

5. Lightouts – All I Want / Heroes (LCD Soundsystem/David Bowie): The rarest of rare occurs on the Lighouts outs double whammy cover jam: They cover two songs, they do it exceptionally well, it flows cleanly, and it never feels gimmicky.

4. Kotomi – All the Umbrellas in London (The Magnetic Fields): Kotomi’s layer of electrohaunt spins this Merrit yarn into a new sexier beauty.

3. Dum Dum Girls – There is a Light (The Smiths): I am in love with the Dum Dums so they could have covered Mili Vanilli and I would have been pretty pleased. Lucky for you and me they chose to cover a band and song with a bit more substance.

2. Holy Ghost - I Wanted to Tell Her (Ministry): This song was the impetus to me making this cover list. I wanted a way to recognize its awesomeness and also make Tim realize how badass it is. He’ll come around. I’m sure of it. We need more Nancy Whang!

1. Duchess Leo – The Tracks of My Tears (Smokey Robinson): This song was a lock for the #1 slot of my cover list the very first time I heard it on the Duchess Leo bandcamp. It absolutely slays me every time I hear it. I want to have a tortured love so I can send her this song over and over till I receive a court ordered restraining order.

Tom Dozois’ 
Top 10 Cover Songs of 2011

10. The Antlers – VCR (XX): Everytime I listen to The Antlers I just can’t think about any thing other than Hospice and cancer. They bring their sound to this cover, which to me, is ironic because the lyrics are anything but sad.

9. Washed Out – Wicked Game (Chris Isaak): Upon hearing the first 10 seconds on the song I was like ‘What the Fuck? Am I supposed to be in a dentists office?’ It sounds like a shitty midi file, but it gets much, much better.

8. James Vincent MeMorrow – Higher Love (Steve Winwood): This is some great, stripped down yacht rock. The Bon Iver-ization of Indie music continues and I love it.

7. Mr. Little Jeans – The Suburbs (Arcade Fire): A dub steppy version of The Suburbs gets all trippy. Side note: I call Tim Mr. Little Jeans.

6. Bon Iver – I Can’t Make You Love Me (Bonnie Raitt): Earlier this year you’d think Justin Vernon was the second coming of Christ. Everything he touched turned to gold; he could do no wrong. Although I still prefer Bonnie Raitt’s original this cover is still beautifully haunting.

5. Real Estate – Barely Legal (The Strokes): Lo-Fi punk turned dream pop. This track was the highlight of The Stokes tribute album, Stroked.

4. The Chain Gang of 1974 – Hold Me Now (Thompson Twins): Although it is relatively unchanged this cover packs more punch than the orginial. It’s a little more modern, a little darker, and a little more reverby.

3. Trails and Ways – Midnight City (M83): The synth in the main riff is replaced with vocals. The sax is replaced with a flute. A kick ass take on one the best songs released in 2011.

2. The Bamboos Ft. Megan Washington - The Wilhelm Scream (James Blake): I just heard this track last week and loved it because it was so unexpected. It converts James Blake’s spooky master piece into a brighter, groovier piece complete with an organ solo and horns. ….It’s very Summer Breezy.

1. James Blake - A Case of You (Joni Mitchell): I honestly didn't know that this was a cover until 5 minutes before I submitted my list. James Blake's voice is insane; it makes me want to weep tears of joy.