If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Noa Azoulay While recording Avondale Drive in 2020, Nicki Bluhm and producer Jesse Noah Wilson decided to record some early Cher songs. They only chose songs from before 1973, and the first from the upcoming release is a cover of Sonny & Cher's "The Beat Goes On." The cover keeps all of the vintage groove of the original while adding in a tad of menace. It's a fun version of the song with a little indie rock fuzz over the original's sheen. This is the kind of cover that lets you hear just how much fun the recording process was. The joy in Bluhm's voice as she belts out her lines is clearly audible. Nicki Bluhm says of her upcoming collection of Cher covers: “I’ve always been one of many admirers of Cher; her sense of fashion and boldness, the many roles she played and won me over with, her deep and sultry voice and most importantly her endless  joie de vivre.  We had so much fun with these songs, looking back into a history that seemed more romant...

Photo by Ebru Yildiz Lucy Dacus has quickly become one of our favorite artists for covers (or really just in general). Her 2019 release 2019 was mostly covers, and all fantastic. Now she's back with a cover of Cher's 1998 electronica comeback song "Believe." Dacus's version is stripped way down... at least in comparison. This new version is a little more guitar heavy and far more dreamy. It's a hazy and swirling cover at times, and at others it's a pretty straightforward pop rock song. The way Dacus makes "Believe" meander slowly through different styles while sounding like a cohesive piece of art is what makes this one of the better covers of the year! The song is currently available as a Spotify single paired with a reworked "Partner in Crime" without autotune. Dacus says of this pairing of songs: “‘ Partner in Crime’ was partially inspired by ‘Believe,’ so I thought it’d be nice to pair them together. I love Cher’s voice and how low ...