Brandi Carlile covers Gary Jules covering Tears for Fears

In the same way that when she covers Hallelujah, she is clearly covering Jeff Buckley’s version of Leonard Cohen’s song, when Washington singer/songwriter Brandi Carlile took on “Mad World” at Portland’s Schnitzer Hall last Thursday night, she was wailing her way through Gary Jules’ unsettlingly sad version (from Donnie Darko) of the Tears for Fears song.

This gives me chills; sometimes I wander away from listening as much to her as I used to a few years ago when her stunning first album came out, but then I am reminded all over again of that voice and how much brutal raw emotion she can squeeze into three minutes. She has a marvelous new album Give Up The Ghost that she is touring in support of, and still manages to always pick out some of my favorite songs in the world to cover. We’re, like, music soulmates.

Mad World (Gary Jules/Tears for Fears) – Brandi Carlile
(live in Portland, 10-22-09)

Bargain bin: Trampoline Records Greatest Hits, Volume 1

Next time you are poking around in the bargain bin at your local record store, search hard for this little gem of an anthology: Trampoline Records Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (2002).

Trampoline Records is an acoustic, rootsy power-pop label put together by Pete Yorn, The Wallflowers’ Rami Jaffee, and songwriter Marc Dauer. I’ll admit I first investigated the album because of the Pete Yorn connection, but it goes far beyond that with an impressive, quality flow to the songs here. Nary a bad tune on it.

In addition to the unreleased song “Hunter Green” by Yorn, there are also contributions from Peter Himmelman, Pete Droge, Gary Jules, Minibar, Minus 5, Jakob Dylan (in the group Rusty Trucks), and Yorn’s keyboard man (“Joey! Take me there!“) Joe Kennedy in the group Happily Ever After. It is eminently listenable, front to back, and highly recommended.

Only In My Dreams – Mavis
(keyboard player for Semisonic, Soul Asylum, Sheryl Crow and Wallflowers takes a pleasing catchy solo turn)

Trading Mistakes – Ethan Johns
(Producer of albums by Ryan Adams, Kings of Leon, Counting Crows, Ben Kweller and Leona Naess -among others- here he shows he can hold his own on the other side of the mic. This track was recorded at home by himself.)

BUY IT HERE