Generally, I’ve always hated cover songs. Maybe I’m an asshole, or maybe it’s the assumption that no one can ever do it better than the creator. Either way, the songs coming out of Baltimore in 2012 have clearly turned me.
Roughly one-third of the following tracks are cover songs, ranging from new renditions of the Eagles to Ed Schrader’s Music Beat to Bruce Springsteen. The Springsteen take is particularly memorable, as I'm still convinced that Samuel T. Herring of Future Islands was actually set on fire during the recording with Microkingdom.
2012 was also the year of Jenn Wasner. Jenn appears on this list three times with three different projects: Wye Oak, Flock of Dimes and her latest endeavor, Dungeonesse.
1. Dungeonesse, “Drive You Crazy”
2. Microkingdom ft. Samuel T. Herring, “I‘m On Fire”
3. Lower Dens, “Brains”
4. Novo Line, “Roll of Ramses”
5. Future Islands, “Tomorrow”
6. Height with Friends, “I Can’t Stop Eating Sugar”
7. Dan Deacon, “True Thrush”
8. Wye Oak, “Spirals”
9. Chiffon, “Dru Hill”
10. Soft Cat, “All I Can See (demo)”
11. Co La, “See in the Dark”
12. Flock of Dimes, “I Can’t Tell You Why (screwed mix)”
13. Ed Schrader’s Music Beat, “Rats (Schwarz Rap Remix) ft. Issue”
14. Chester Endersby Gwazda, “Changing Your Life”
15. Secret Mountains, “Make Love Stay”
