Sort of like that movie It Follows (but not really), whenever someone performs a cover song live or records a version of another musician’s song, that songwriter becomes cursed by an evil spirit who transforms into just a normal naked walking person. Someone somewhere must have recently covered an Iron and Wine and Band of Horses song, because the lead crooners of those two bands, Sam Beam and Ben Bridwell, respectively, are releasing their Sing Into My Mouth covers album this summer on Beam’s Black Cricket label and Bridwell’s Brown Records via Caroline.
What will appear to be caring and thoughtful renditions of classics like The Talking Heads’ “This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)” and Them Two’s “Am I a Good Man?” will joyfully masquerade the sense of dread and paranoia surrounding these modern guitar guys. It’s not just a coincidence that Bridwell and Beam complement each other well when harmonizing, but they can both see the demons that are slowly chasing them, a bond unlike any other.
In case you’re slow or just have no idea what grasping-for-straws type of parodying I’m doing here, it’s simple: Beam and Bridwell’s album features a cover of Bonnie Raitt’s “Any Day Woman,” which mean Raitt must now cover a song by another musician or she could potentially be murdered by a malignant spirit. You’re probably thinking, “But isn’t Bonnie Raitt an evil entity of some kind already?” But, come on guys, let’s grow up. To prove they’re alive and well, Bridwell and Beam will play together at the Newport Folk Festival on July 24, MoPop Festival on July 25, and Osheaga in Montreal on July 31.
Sing Into My Mouth tracklisting:
01. This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody) (Talking Heads)
02. Done This One Before (Ronnie Lane)
03. Any Day Woman (Bonnie Raitt)
04. You Know Me More Than I Know (John Cale)
05. Bulletproof Soul (Sade)
06. There’s No Way Out of Here (Unicorn)
07. God Knows (You Gotta Give to Get) (El Perro del Mar)
08. The Straight and Narrow (Spiritualized)
09. Magnolia (JJ Cale)
10. Am I a Good Man? (Them Two)
11. Ab’s Song (Marshall Tucker Band)
12. Coyote, My Little Brother (Pete Seeger)
• Iron and Wine: http://www.ironandwine.com
• Band of Horses: http://www.bandofhorses.com
• Black Cricket: http://www.blackcricketrecording.co
• Brown Records: http://brownrecords.8m.com