Following on the heels of her critically-acclaimed 2013 album The Stand-In, Caitlin Rose has just released a cover of The National’s perfectly-poignant Pink Rabbits (one of our favorite songs on their album Trouble Will Find Me). Watch her performance of the song below.  In an interview with ELLE, Rose said this about cover songs:  “‘If it’s rushed and doesn’t turn out the way I wanted it to, it’s a very big disappointment…. There’s not much point to doing a cover if you aren’t changing anything…. My singing style is very straightforward so the only way I can cover things is by simplifying.'”  Given Matt Berninger’s signature vocals and the band’s firm delivery of their songs, we’re not sure The National’s songs are good cover candidates.  What’s your opinion of Ms. Rose’s effort?  Did she simplify or add to the original?  We do like the horns added near the end of her version, but are reserving judgment for now.

TV on the Radio haven’t made clear what their future music release plans are, but they have been piquing our interest with repeated teases. First they released the official video for new slow-song Million Miles.  Now comes the official video for the uptempo and wisdom-laden Mercy.  Have mercy! We like the sound of that.  Check out the video and song below.  The song’s great lyrics follow the video.

Mercy:

“I caught a glimpse of professional evil
on the day our poor hearts died.
I fell in love with professional evil
on the day you left my side.

I see tons of people
looking lost and lethal
and I think we’re all the same
So I scale a steeple and I take a leap
and I just can’t keep the stain

from my soul
it burns so cold
it’s got to go
through my soul
through my soul

Things fall apart in the blink of an eye
better keep yours open wide.
Things fall apart in the blink of an eye
and we can’t be satisfied.

I seen tons of people
looking lost and lethal
and I know we’re all the same.
And though it’s gone forever
and there’s nothing to keep
but I still can’t scrape the stain

from my soul
it burns so cold
Oh watch it go
through my soul
through my soul

Have mercy Lord, what can we do
Got over me, got over you
Gone overboard
Gone two by two

Look over me, look over you
(My life)
I know my life
Can’t be my life
My life, can’t be my know my life
Can’t be my life
My life can’t be my know my life
Can’t be my life
My life can’t be my know my life
Can’t be my life

I’ve lost a love of my life
I’ve lost a love
Have mercy
Have mercy, mercy, mercy
on my life”

While idling through Ireland this summer Bruce Springsteen invited native son Glen Hansard up on stage to sing a languid, but riveting, version of Drive All Night.  Ya gotta love Springsteen’s nodding acknowledgement when Hansard first steps to the microphone and belts it.  Check it out below

Last night San Francisco’s Dodos (the band) showed up on the Letterman Show and performed Confidence off of their critically-acclaimed new album Carrier.  Hang in at least till the 2:24 mark when the band and song take flight, justly earning the accolades of the host.

Yesterday Neko Case released her new, highly-personalized album The Worse Things Get, The Harder I Fight, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You and then last night commemorated the release with a rousing performance on the Jimmy Fallon Show (with the superb accompaniment of Kelly Hogan) of lead single Man.  Check it out below, followed by the web-exclusive rendering of the moving Night Still Comes.

Janelle Monae’s The Electric Lady, Arctic Monkeys’ AM and Drive-By Truckers’ Alabama Ass Whuppin’ are all streaming this Tuesday, a day which has become synonymous with the streaming/sampling of new albums from artists.  Check ’em all out below (emphasis on The Electric Lady), or and at the HERE and NOW.

We’ve recently been sky-high on Athens’ Futurebirds and their fantastic 2013 album, Baba Yaga.  Musically, Futurebirds melds the influences of Neil Young, REM, and Band of Horses, along with hints of Grizzly Bear, and not necessarily in that order.  Add to that the signature pedal steel of Dennis Love, and four-part harmonies, and we are all-in (as we’ve written before).    To get a quick immersion, check out the band as they perform Tan Lines and Death Awaits at KEXP below.  Then imagine the hirsute band performing the songs in their fans’ favorite setting:  live in either a small club or at a festival (the venue is irrelevant).  We can’t wait to catch ’em live.  If you like the videos below, go HERE to catch the full performance.

We have been fans of TV On The Radio since their second studio album Return to Cookie Mountain, but especially after we caught them live at Soho in September 2006.  It was a memorable Kenny-Night.   The fantastic Dear Science and Nine Types of Light albums followed before the band announced its demise/hiatus and there was sadness.  And then there was gladness when the band reappeared and news spread that they were at work on a new recording.  And then there were teasers.  They’ve been playing a new song Mercy live, but the first official sample is the official video for Million Miles, which you can check out below.  The video is a woozy workout directed by Kyp Malone.

The Pickathon vignettes just keep poppin’ from KEXP.  Check out Pure Bathing Culture below unplugged and performing their ode to true love, Ivory Coast.  We caught the band’s impressive opening set for Foxygen when they came through Santa Barbara in March, and they continue to impress here.  Pure Bathing Culture’s Richard Swift-produced debut album Moon Tides hit last week, and you can buy it HERE.  The band will head out on tour again starting in Cali in October in support of the new album, and while opening for Widowspeak.  You can check out their tour dates below the video.

10/10 – Visalia, CA – The Cellar Door
10/12 – Tucson, AZ – Solar Culture
10/13 – Albuquerque, NM – Low Spirits*
10/14 – Phoenix, AZ – Rhythm Room*
10/15 – San Diego, CA – The Void*
10/16 – Los Angeles, CA – The Echo*
10/17 – Santa Cruz, CA – The Crepe Place*
10/18 – San Francisco, CA – The Chapel*
10/19 – Davis, CA – Sophia’s Thai Kitchen*
10/21 – Eugene, OR – Cozmic Pizza*
10/22 – Vancouver, BC – Media Club*
10/24 – Portland, OR – Bunk Bar*
10/25 – Boise, ID – Neurolux*
10/26 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge*
10/27 – Denver, CO – Larimer Lounge*
10/28 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown*
11/1 – Ferndale, MI – The Loving Touch*
11/3 – Montreal, QC – Il Motore*
11/4 – Winooski, VT – The Monkey House*
11/5 – Boston, MA – TT The Bear’s*
11/6 – New Haven, CT – BAR*
11/8 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom*

* – w/ Widowspeak