Okay, there have been plenty of versions of "Hotel Chelsea #2." But who can blame everyone? Cohen's original is plenty good enough to outlast its overexposure, and who wouldn't want to have their chance to step into such a brilliant songwriter's shoes?
So while there's not much new added to the original on Lewis and Clarke's take, they are still a band well-suited to take on Cohen's tale, and they do it well. Lou Rogai's whispered grumble is a solid stand-in for Cohen's groan, and behind him his band swirls and dips through the track, playing into the song's boozy nostalgia. The track is offered as a bonus on the colored vinyl pressing of the Light Time EP, which is limited to only 500 copies.
Light Time EP is out now on La Societe Expeditionnaire. [Stereogum]
Rufus does it better. This track is bo-ring