Singles file: J. Cole, Secret Mountains, Laura Marling, Girls, jj
Laura Marling delivers a striking version of Neil Young's "The Needle and the Damage Done." (Deirdre O'Callagan)
A weekly playlist for the listener with a one-track mind...
J. Cole: "Home for the Holidays"
The Next Big Thing contemplates dropping out of college and signing with Jay-Z on the maybe-best track off his new, hype-justifying "Friday Night Lights" mix tape, downloadable in full at the link.
Secret Mountains: "Rejoice"
Baltimore's latest heirs to Animal Collective follow up the strange, beloved "Kaddish" with this irresistible psych-pop track, now in handy video form.
Laura Marling: "The Needle and the Damage Done" (Neil Young cover)
The British folkie teams with producer Jack White on this spartan, dead-on cover of Young's "Harvest" standard.
Girls: "Thee Oh So Protective One"
With its horns and vaguely flamenco-y guitars, this cut from Girls' upcoming EP "Broken Dreams Club" may be the closest the band ever gets to mid-'70s Springsteen.
jj: "Let Them"
The delicate Swedes' fondness for giving hip-hop joints (in this instance, T.I.'s "Let 'Em Talk") ethereal, cuss-heavy makeovers never gets old. With a B-side which, as is their wont, summons Lil Wayne.
By
Allison Stewart
| November 16, 2010; 11:00 AM ET
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Singles file
| Tags:
Girls, J. Cole, Laura Marling, Secret Mountains, jj
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Marling's version of "Needle" is anything but a "dead-on cover," as you describe it. It is utterly devoid of Neil Young's haunting desperation; lacking the fargility and pain of Neil Young's performance, her version is pedestrian, at best. Your review reveals once again how succeptible music criticism is to industry hype, which Ms. Marling has received plenty of.
Posted by: kad1ddr3 | November 16, 2010 11:43 AM | Report abuse
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