I’ve been a fan of the A.V. Club Undercover series for months now, and I feel like it hasn’t really caught on like it should, considering the incredible quality of a couple of entries. The premise is some artist or band comes in to the publication’s office and covers another song they chose from a predetermined list. Previous awesome covers included Ted Leo & The Pharmacists covering Tears for Fears, Frightened Rabbit’s Scott Hutchison doing The Lemonheads, and The Clientele’s twee re-imagining of M.I.A.’s hit “Paper Planes.”
But this past week’s entry? Best by a mile. The Swell Season — Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova of Once fame, along with a full band — completely destroyed Neutral Milk Hotel’s “Two Headed Boy.” I can not imagine anyone better suited than Hansard to do justice to Jeff Mangum’s classic. He sells every song he sings as soon as you look at his face. I’d punch a baby if Hansard asked me in song. Though I’m sure he wouldn’t ask something like that. He’s a nice fella.
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