Sister to a Father of Thought

"The best a Pavement cover can hope to be is good and interesting and bring out something that was hinted at in the original, but not made explicit.”
- Fluxblog

The bar is so high most are smart enough not to try. Those who do - in this case, Zooey and Los Campesinos - escape blasphemy charges by bringing whimsical innocence and a deep-rooted appreciation for Malkmus and team's slacker catalogue (Zooey has been singing this song in the shower for a decade, and LC unanimously declare Pavement to be the band's favorite band).

Both artists also recontextualize Malkmus' wildly abstract lyrics to suit a female perspective - Zooey's lighter, big-city sibling slinks instead of sulks ("I'm just a woman, you see who I am"); and when Aleksandra Campesinos halts the seven-piece violin/glockenspiel march to quietly whisper "She the only one who always inhales," we know she can empathize.


Zooey - Father to a Sister of Thought (Pavement cover)


Los Campesinos! - Frontwards (Pavement cover)

Side note: Zooey's interpretation of "You Gave Your Love To Me Softly" is less of a win unless you're also a big fan of Ladytron/The Rentals.


Zooey - You Gave Your Love To Me Softly (Weezer cover, from Pique-nique et jeux dans l'eau)

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Camp Rock + Pinkerton

So Rivers Cuomo's mom recently suggested he hold a rok camp in Portland, inviting 200 local musicians roll up and perform Weezer jamz as part of a live radio broadcast.



This is pretty cool, and that's a pretty strong camp counselor mustache. Would have been a whole lot cooler if we could talk about how good the new album is (it isn't), so instead let's reminisce about Pinkerton.

Back in the days when i was a teenager (before I had status and before I had a pager) this album owned. My parents couldn't afford Guitar Hero, so like other scrubs across the country I fake-played these songs with a real electric guitar plugged into a shitty 12" Peavey Rage, channeling a new generation of electric white boy blues.

And while most other Weezer album covers just hold down a primary color, the Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock print and a song about unrequited love for possibly underage Japanese schoolgirls tells you this is something real nice, Clark.


Weezer - Across the Sea



And don't even get me started about "Tired of Sex." Or do.

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