Music

The Best Covers To Come Out Of Live-Streamed Sets This Week

From Glass Animals covering Nirvana to James Blake taking on Frank Ocean.

by Joseph Earp  25 March 2020
James Blake and Glass Animals tackle covers in the coronavirus pandemic

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Necessity is the mother of invention, which is why every musician on the planet is currently trialling new ways of connecting with their fans amidst the coronavirus pandemic. One of the biggest outlets they’re turning to? Covers.

Yep, in the days since the coronavirus pandemic decimated the international touring industry and forced us all inside, musicians and famos have taken to live-streaming requests and special performances.

Gal Gadot’s cover of ‘Imagine’ aside, most of these have been wonderful and heartwarming, replicating that thrill when you’re at a gig and you hear one of your favourite musicians covering your favourite songs.

Here are some of the best.

Ben Gibbard Covering Phoebe Bridgers

Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie fame has been playing sets on YouTube for a few days now. A few days ago, he dedicated an entire set to covers. The highlight? His take on ‘Motion Sickness’ by Phoebe Bridgers.

That said, equal attention must be paid to the man’s take on ‘The Bones Are The Skeleton’s Money’, the batshit song from I Think You Should Leave, which starts at minute 44 in this live-stream:

Lime Cordiale Covering ‘Millennium Queen’

“If Louis gets it Oli gets it,” Lime Cordiale wrote on Facebook of coronavirus. But hey, for the moment, they’re indoors, smashing the hell out of ‘Millennium Queen’ by Approachable Members Of Your Local Community.

Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong Covering ‘I Think We’re Alone Now’

“While we’ve all been in quarantine I’ve been reflecting on the things that matter the most in my life. Family, friends and of course music,” Armstrong wrote in a press release that accompanied the cover.

James Blake Covering Frank Ocean

During a jam-packed live-stream, emo pop king James Blake decided to take on emo rap king Frank Ocean. The results? Magic.

Christine And The Queens Covering The Weeknd

Christine and The Queens are great. The Weeknd is great. Combine the two, with the former covering ‘Blinding Lights’ by the latter, and what do you have? Perfection.

Glass Animals Covering Nirvana

Ever wanted to see a great musician deconstruct a great song? Then you are in luck — here’s Glass Animals frontman Dave Bayley playing Nirvana. What more could you possibly ask from art?