This weeks cover album is a one subject cover album with many various artists put on by Japón Records. The subject of interest being covered: Daniel Johnston; the man who has probably been covered as many times as The Beatles, Bob Dylan or The Beach Boys. With that being said, a Daniel Johnston cover is like seeing my socks in your mom's laundry. It's very common.
So common that sometimes just the run of the mill cut-copy cover is not good enough. So when I stumbled into this tribute album, I was quickly surprised to find that it wasn't just another collection of hip household name bands playing more audible versions of our favorite D. Johnston tunes. I also quickly found out a lot of it wasn't in English...
It's an album featuring over 30 bands covering Daniel Johnston in Spanish or broken English! It's got two Walking the Cow covers, three True Love Will Find You In The Ends - one being completely in Spanish including the title, Grievance (becoming one of my favorite Johnston songs from this), Casper The Friendly Ghost, and two Held the Hands (currently my favorite Johnston song) - one in English and the other in Spanish. Along with a ton more classics like The Story Of An Artist, many more songs about love, songs he did with Jad Fair and the scariest rendition of Devil Town I have ever heard. So scary it's unrecognizable to anyone who didn't know it was Devil Town.
Being Spanish is not the only thing that these bands and their covers have got going for them, though. They also bring in very raw and lo-fi sound that begs the question of what if in fact these guys are actually the Spanish versions of Daniel Johnston? Just a handful of unknown bands from wherever they may be who long to be on MTV and be The Beatles? Maybe not. But that still have that desperate sound that echoes the challenges and victories of Daniel Johnston's illustrious career. I could be over thinking things. I mean, these bands could just be really really rough around the edges and just happen to be inspired by Daniel Johnston. I would like to think otherwise, however...
Noteworthy names on this compilation: Jersey Killer, Dr. Gonzo, Fusibles, Amukan, Gasti Explorador, El Mal Menor, Evil Cannibal, Elefantelibre, and a hell of a lot more argentinian rockers (I'm guessing that's where they are from...)
Japón Records
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