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Holy fucklobsters, in full make-up no less.  I thought Pearl Jam’s cover was pretty awesome, but this may take the cake.  For those of you wondering who Monsters of Folk are, the group comprises the very classy M. Ward, Jim James, Connor Oberst and Mike Mogis.

This is from the Monsters of Folk show in Louisville on Halloween and dang I am jealous of everyone in attendance.  I mean, they dressed up like KISS for crying out loud.  [via]

Love this cover of Devo’s “Whip It.”  Love the authentic costumes.  However, the best part is the band mimicking Devo’s robotic dance moves.

And it’s one of their lesser-known folkier tunes off of Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness. Here, Fanfarlo (one of 2009’s breakout bands you can still grab their album for $6) does “We Only Come Out at Night” and without Billy Corgan’s snarling, often nasally vocals, the song loses a bit of it’s evil underpinnings.  Instead, it’s morphed a shuffling, summery song.  Lanquid and relaxing.

They’re coming stateside, but only for a handful of dates.

USA

September 14 Seattle – Chop Suey
September 15 Hollywood – Troubadour
September 16 Los Angeles – The Echo
September 17 San Francisco – Popscene
September 20 Philadelphia – Kungfu Necktie
September 21 New York – Bowery Ballroom
September 22 Brooklyn – The Bell House

UK

September 28 Manchester – Deaf Institute
September 29 York – Fibbers
October 1 Glasgow – ABC2
October 2 Middlesbrough – Westgarth
October 3 Nottingham – Bodega
October 4 Bristol – Start the Bus
October 5 Oxford – Jericho Tavern
October 6 London – Bush Hall
October 7 Brighton – Hanbury Ballroom
October 8 Cardiff – Iforbach
October 9 Leeds – Brudenell Social Club

Turns out when a fan tried to stump the Boss in London by requesting the song “London Calling” it’s been a new feature rolled into Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Bands latest world tour.

They’ve played dozens of covers, but mostly from a classic rock perspective.  If they really wanted to stump The Boss, I’m sure someone could come up with a song he didn’t know.  Anyway, this is a great idea and proves why Bruce Springsteen is one of the best ever.  Something as tiny as this idea makes fans more invested and a part of the show then if they just paid their $70 bucks and called it a night.

Have you ever wanted 100 different versions of “Stairway to Heaven” from the likes of Guster, Dolly Parton, Foo Fighters, Iron Maiden, Heart, etc.?

Well, if you did, now’s your chance.

Based upon this video, someone through up a sign on stage that read “LONDON CALLING / did I stump E Street?”  And of course, Bruce made the ambiguous am I crapping my pants or am I so riled up that someone would dare challenge me to something so easy.

Of course, The Boss, Little Stevie, Max and the rest of the gang absolutely tear up the song.  Whether a manufactured moment or not (looks like the concert was shot for a DVD or something), the guys absolutely kill it.

[via YANP]

M. Ward’s latest album Hold Time has been slowly growing on me as I let the songs slip over me.  It’s going to be a perfect summer backporch kind of affair – a little more subdued than his previous efforts.

And due to his cover of “Rave On” I’ve spent the past month or so digging back into my Buddy Holly albums and rekindled that love affair.  So, regardless there’s that. It took no time at all to realize I much prefer the Buddy Holly version of this song.  M. Ward’s feels too syrupy, too low key.  With Holly you get a coiled beast bursting at the seams – full of youthful energy and emotional confusion.

M. Ward (feat. Zooey Deschanel) – “Rave On”

Buddy Holly and The Crickets – “Rave On”

Over the last year, more than a lot of bands, Blitzen Trapper have made the leap.  You know what I mean?  With Wild Mountain Nation they made lots of peeps’s ear perk up and with 2008’s Furr it seemed like they made the entire music community hear them.

They’ve got lots of people’s attention.  Here they’re covering “Cocaine Blues,” but not the Johnny Cash version.  This one is a cover of Reverend Gary Davis.

I think Blitzen Trapper’s show at the Wonder Ballroom with the Parson Red Heads was one of my fav shows in 2008.  At one point they had everyone in both bands up on stage shaking the stage and furiously banging the shit out of anything available.

Big thanks to the folks at Giggling Ostritch (via YANP).

Seems Thom Yorke, Johnny Greenwood and company have debuted a few new songs whilst on tour in Europe, including one named “Super Collider” and a cover of Portishead’s “The Rip.”  Hypeful has the Mp3s if you want to add them to your collection.  Thanks to Lucas for the heads up.

“Super Collider” was played at both Dublin shows and was only previously soundchecked.

Radiohead – “Super Collider”

Radiohead – “The Rip (Portishead cover)”

(Thanks Lucas!)

Kate Nash, whom we sorta love for all her charms and whimsy, put out a pretty good debut album, Made of Bricks. Nash writes songs that recall the kind of childlike moments when you spin and spin and spin in one place and it’s all very fun and makes you fall apart on the ground.

It’s a feeling that’s hard to describe. Here, however, covering The White Stripes’s “Seven Nation Army” she’s playing it absolutely straight. Just banging on the piano and accompanied with the drums. She manages to strip the song of it’s furor and anger, exemplified by Jack White’s ripping it up. Instead of a song that fills you with fury and vengeance at society, Kate makes you feel like she’s singing about a jilted lover.

Mp3: Kate Nash – “Seven Nation Army”
Myspace: Kate Nash
Video: Foundations