If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Chris Casella William Elliott Whitmore specializes in old time country that has a modern flair. His latest single, "My Mind Can Be Cruel to Me" showcases his talents. Tonally it feels like a song that could have been written fifty years ago while it still sounds like something recorded in this century. It's a twangy country song with just the slightest hints of punk pushing in at the edges. William Elliott Whitmore says of the new song: "The song 'My Mind is Cruel to Me' is about perception. Our memories and thoughts can be torturous at times. Mark Twain called it the "devil's race track", when a line of thought and worry goes around and around in a circle inside our brains. Is the mind a separate entity from the body? At what point does it feel as though our brains are actually betraying us? Human beings are a complicated animal, and with that comes complicated emotions, fears, and habits. This video is meant to show that. Are ...

We're huge fans of just about anything Bloodshot Records puts out, so we're thrilled that they recently released a digital only label b-sides, alternate versions, and covers compilation. Pandemophenia is a seventeen song compilation featuring all of our favorites from Bloodshot Records. "I'm Not There Yet" is as good as anything on Jason Hawk Harris's 2019 album Love & the Dark. William Elliott Whitmore has a new wonderfully rough sounding folk tune called "New Skateboard." Barrence Whitfield and the Savages share Soul Flowers of Titan bonus track "Dream of June." ROOKIE adds an acoustic, old-timey version of last year's "Hold on Tight." And then there's the covers. Ruby Boots does a version of Tom Petty's "Keeping Me Alive," which may only exist as an outtake from the posthumous An American Treasure box set. Laura Jane Grace & The Devouring Mothers bring us a version of "This Land is Your La...

Photo by Doug Ewing Doing a country/Americana version of a Magnetic Fields song might seem strange, but William Elliott Whitmore may have chosen the perfect one to cover with "Fear of Trains." With lyrics like " It was the army train that took her daddy from her  /  It was the bible train that took her momma too /  And that high loud whistle made her horse run away /  But the straw that broke the camel's back was you," the song was meant to be a country song. Unless you're incredibly familiar with the lyrics of Stephin Merritt, you'd most likely never pick up on this being a Magnetic Fields song since it's such a unique take, that somehow just feels correct. You can listen to William Elliott Whitmore's take on "Fear of Trains" below. It will be included on his upcoming all covers album, Kilonova . That will be out on September 7 via Bloodshot Records, and feature covers of songs by Bad Religion, Johnny Cash, ZZ Top, Captain Beefhe...