Starbucks, KCRW make horrible music together

February 2, 2007 10:55 a.m. by John Zeiss

Those ubiquitous Starbucks comps are usually pretty crappy, but you would think L.A.-based NPR affiliate and new music breaker KCRW would have better taste than this: the two institutions are teaming up to release Sounds Eclectic: The Covers Project on March 13th. As the name might suggest, the disc will feature artists covering quite well-known tunes. Some appear to have the potential for being quite atrocious. Ever wanted to hear Dido doing James Taylor's "Fire and Rain"? Yeah, me neither. M. Ward makes the very odd choice of handling David Bowie's "Let's Dance." Then there's a slew of stuff that's been available for a while: Radiohead covers by Damien Rice and The Flaming Lips ("Creep" and "Knives Out" respectively) and, years upon years later, Gary Jules doing "Mad World." Yea, nobody has heard that. Closing the album and coming in at most pointless, both because it's nothing new and completely redundant: what the world needs more than more troops in Iraq, more than a third Bush term, more than more earmarks and lobbyists. That's right, another fucking cover of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," this time by K.D. Lang. Ugh.
Full track listing after the jump...

1. Girls in Hawaii, ''"Out on the Weekend''" covering Neil Young

2. Sia, ''"I Go to Sleep''" covering The Kinks/The Pretenders

3. The Magic Numbers, ''"Crazy in Love''" covering Beyoncé

4. Damien Rice, ''"Creep''" covering Radiohead

5. Nikka Costa, ''"I Want a Little Sugar in My Bowl''" covering Nina Simone

6. Dido, ''"Fire And Rain''" covering James Taylor

7. Paul Weller, ''"Wishing on a Star''" covering Rose Royce/Junior Walker

8. Rufus Wainwright with Chris Stills, ''"Harvest''" covering Neil Young

9. R.E.M., ''"Gentle on My Mind''" covering John Hartford/Glen Campbell

10. Gary Jules, ''"Mad World''" covering Tears for Fears

11. The Flaming Lips, ''"Knives Out''" covering Radiohead

12. Robert Plant, ''"Black Dog''" covering himself/Led Zeppelin IV

13. Missy Higgins, ''"Moses''" covering Patty Griffin

14. M Ward, ''"Let'''s Dance''" covering David Bowie

15. K.D. Lang, ''"Hallelujah''" covering Leonard Cohen

6 Responses

February 2, 2007 at 1:22 p.m.

Jeff

It's a little conservative, but I don't know if I'd say it's atrocious. Those are strong words. M. Ward's cover of "Let's Dance" is darned good though.

February 2, 2007 at 1:34 p.m.

errol

that m. ward cover of let's dance is from 'the transfiguration of vincent' from 2003. and it's awesome. if you've not heard it before i can see how it might appear to be an odd choice, but really, it works perfectly.

February 4, 2007 at 3:06 a.m.

John Miner

The Gary Jules and M. Ward covers are excellent. The Flaming Lips cover of Knives Out, however is atrocious. I remember my girlfriend at the time laughing at how silly they made this song sound. Anyhow, other than the two tracks I have listed previously, I don't think there is anything on here worth listening to.

February 4, 2007 at 6:41 p.m.

janet

kd lang is the ONLY one that went places with Leonard Cohen'''s ''"Hallelujah". Just as she did with Roy Orbisons "Crying". IMO she is the most under-rated singer on this planet.

May 1, 2007 at 2:25 p.m.

angela

A record review written by someone who HAD NOT LISTENED TO THE RECORD. Enough said.

August 9, 2008 at 2:20 p.m.

To whoever wrote this article

Have you even heard Dido's cover of "Fire and Rain"??!!

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