with their Built to Spill cover, the Brooklyn group offers “a hug and a thank you” to one of their favorite bands
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The best kind of cover is, at its heart, a love letter—an act of admiration, appreciation and re-creation. A musician paying homage in the most authentic of means, taking a track they love and infusing it with originality, not seeking to duplicate the song but to build upon it. And, in the process, introducing another unique work into the world.
Art begets art begets art…
The beauty of a cover is also the way in which it might cause you to fall in love—or deeper in love—with two projects at once. In some ways, it could almost be considered an indirect duet. An asynchronous collaboration in which the songwriting strength of one act is showcased alongside the performing style of another.
One new and excellent example of this adoration in artistic action is courtesy of Brooklyn rock band LAPÊCHE (singer and guitarist Krista Diem, her husband and bassist Dave Diem, Drew DeMaio on guitar and Richard Salino on drums), whose creative expression of gratitude to a group they love has resulted in what is truly a second sonic gift for us all.
A day ahead of its official release, I’m thrilled to premiere LAPêCHE’s cover of “Nowhere Lullaby” from Boise-based indie legends Built to Spill.
Another nowhere lullaby / You can rest or you can try / And this waste, it shines in every way / Yeah, this waste, it shines in every way
To appreciate a cover, it is, of course, helpful to have some familiarity with the original. “Nowhere Lullaby” (listen here) is the third track, a deep cut, from Built to Spill’s 2009 album There Is No Enemy. And, as you might have guessed, a song that LAPêCHE has a special connection with.
“Built to Spill is one of LAPêCHE’s favorite bands,” Krista says of their decision to cover the track (which, no surprise, they’ve done beautifully). “Doug Martsch is an influence and inspiration. Performing ‘Nowhere Lullaby’, one of their most underrated songs, in my opinion, is a hug and a thank you from the band.”
As for new originals from LAPÊCHE, check out the latest single, “Mermaid Blues – V1” and stay tuned for the next LP, which the band is currently working on with Grammy-nominated producer and engineer Alex Newport (whose credits include more bands you might know and love, including Death Cab For Cutie and At The Drive-In).
And, of course, do yourself a favor and do a deep-dive into each band’s catalogue. Beyond the Built to Spill song itself, may LAPÊCHE’s cover spark you to (re)discover more music you love from both.
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Follow LAPêCHE at @lapecheband, buy music on Bandcamp and add the songs to your Spotify playlists!
Feature image (provided by the band): Kate Hoos