Sunday, February 19th, 2012

"Willow Tree"

Slow Club covers Chad VanGaalen

Photo By Frank YangFrank YangUsually when it comes time to post one of these weekly covers – which would be every week – at least half of the equation is a famous or at least notable artist with a significant backstory to them. That that is not so much the case this week should not take anything away from either the coverer or coveree – I actually think it makes it more interesting. I mean, how often does an English band working their first album opt to record and release as a b-side a cover of an active, underground, eccentric Canadian singer-songwriter-animator? Probably exactly once.

And that was when Sheffield Slow Club released their “Giving Up On Love” single in Spring of 2010, taken from their debut Yeah So, recorded their take on a song from Chad VanGaalen’s 2008 album Soft Airplane. Pretty random, but also pretty charming. This recording isn’t the actual b-side – that’s more fully-produced sounding – but a live version recorded, as the note implies, in a hotel room somewhere. Also charming.

Slow Club are currently on tour in support of last year’s sophomore effort Paradise and are at The Rivoli in Toronto tonight. Chad VanGaalen released his latest album Diaper Island last Spring; as part of a Valentine’s Day feature, he told The National Post how he met his wife Sara.

MP3: Slow Club – “Willow Tree” (hotel room recording)
Video: Slow Club – “Willow Tree” (live at Hampton Court fairground, March 2010)
MP3: Chad VanGaalen – “Willow Tree”

By : Frank Yang at 9:54 am
Category: Chromewaves Radio

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