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Download: Dirty Projectors Cover Bob Dylan
Gray Hurlburt :: Thursday, June 3rd, 2010 1:20 pm
It’s only natural for Dirty Projectors to pay tribute to Bob Dylan, by covering his hauntingly tinctured “I Saw St. Augustine,” from the sparse 1968 album John Wesley Harding. After all, just about everyone does a Dylan at one point in their musical career. For a recent example, look to Sufjan Stevens’ waltzing rendition of “Ring Them Bells.” Now the imaginative, pop-progressionists have their fun with Mr. Zimmerman, which is more appealing for a cover than you can ask for…for free, as a download.
This Dirty Projectors tribute was composed for the Levi’s “Pioneer Sessions,” which asked artists to revive the music that inspired their individual sound. Where ”St. Augustine” carries through is with David Longstreth’s vocal quality, which bears more of an achy resemblance to Dylan than one would find in Bitte Orca, while the sparse instrumental—acoustic guitar and simple drum kit—extracts the guilt and lonesomeness from the original. Throw in Dirty Projector’s backing vocalists, Amber Kaufman, Angel Deradoorian and Haley Dekle, and you have a rounder, warmer idea of what JWH has to offer. Download the track here.
