Let’s call this series “Song I should have covered and almost actually did but never finished and now the moment has passed.”

Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin – Heers

And you all thought it was over! Josh Kaffer teams up with some friends who have weird names on a great cover of California Girls from The Magnetic Fields’ newest album. Has anyone else noticed that the original vocals are female on all of the songs Josh has covered these last two years? This cover features IRCMT’s first symphonic arrangement with Ryan and Jordan on cello and violin saw (respectively?). It’s kind of awesome.

California Girls (The Magnetic Fields) – Josh Kaffer (T-GAS), Ryan terMeulen, Jordan o Jordan

I’m not entirely sure what the deal is with the names, but this from Josh, sic’s included:

So this is Ryan terMeulen, me, and Jordan o Jordan, I can’t think of a good band name. Here’s the songo, let me know if you’ve got a good name for us.
love Josh

I can’t think of a good name other than naming them after the song they covered: California Girls.

- B

Well, folks, it looks like we’re nearing the end. This is the last song I have that is complete, but it’s possible there will be more, both because I’d love to hear more and I’m a little bit superstitious about ending on Day 13.

Lump Sum (Bon Iver) – N. Timothy Salazar

This cover is very self-indulgent. B and I both figured out that Bon Iver was actually released in 2007, but only got its official release in 2008 on Jagjaguwar. I love the album, and only started listening to it in the Spring, when I ran across Bon Iver’s Virb page, which at the time was streaming the entire album.

I was working out of DUMBO at the time and would just leave the album on repeat and marveled at the fact that the view outside my windows consisted of 1) The Manhattan Bridge and 2) The Brooklyn Bridge. My view now is considerably less pleasant. I don’t miss the work, but I do miss the view.

I might have more to say about this when I make my year’s run-down, but I’d also say that Bon Iver was my favorite show I’d seen in 2008. That’s saying a lot considering how many shows we went to last year.

A couple of things, unrelated that I’d like to get off my chest: I haven’t eaten toast that wasn’t French with a fork, like, ever I think. I did that today. Also, toast from the toaster is vastly inferior to that which is cooked on a griddle or, in today’s case, a non-stick frying pan. It’s like eating grilled cheese without the cheese. That doesn’t discount my affinity for the toaster, however.

That is all.

Another good start to the week, eh? I woke up this morning to getting micro-managed, which isn’t my forte, obviously. We’re running out of songs; I’ve got one more (mine) after today, but will try to get a couple more done that I want to get done myself. But also, I actually have a list of stuff I’ve been listening to, reading and watching that should cover last year pretty well, so there’s also that to look forward to. In any case, here’s today’s song.

Autoclave (The Mountain Goats) – Molly Painter

The year of 2008 was actually also the first time I’ve ever seen The Mountain Goats play live, which was an experience, although probably not the exact experience I would have liked since I’ve heard so many good things about their shows. Molly told me she drove around a delivery van most of last year and she got used to hearing just her voice. I like that that’s the way we get to hear it too, in all of it’s simplicity.

Welcome back! I hope everyone had a great holiday, it’s a shame we all have to go back to the grind now. I’m trying to make it a little easier on you by presenting this old-school tune by Fokker-Planck.

Weekender (My Little Brother) – Fokker-Planck

Last year Fokker-Planck did an Arcade Fire cover and converted a 4+ minute song to something like 2 minutes, and this year we go in reverse order. I really like the accordion in this as well as the re-mixed phrasing on the wording and that extended outro. It also makes me bandsick, a little bit, for MLB. Enjoy!