Launched in December 2001 by Mark and Wendy Redfern, the magazine Under the Radar is coming up on its 20th anniversary issue, and to celebrate, they will release a Covers of Covers compilation, featuring some of their favorite artists covering artists who have graced the cover of Under the Radar over the past 20 years. They have already shared Grandaddy’s cover of “Blindness” by Metric, along with EMA’s cover of “Trailer Trash” by Modest Mouse. The Cover of Covers compilation can be preordered now via American Laundromat Records and Bandcamp.
The compilation, due out March 4th and also features Alex Lahey, Black Belt Eagle Scout, C Duncan, Cassandra Jenkins, Cults, Girl Ray, Hatchie, James Yorkston, Kevin Drew, Nation of Language, NZCA Lines, Oceantor, Ora the Molecule, Peter, Bjorn and John, Piroshka, Sondre Lerche, Strand of Oaks, and Water From Your Eyes.
The Covers of Covers artwork, created by co-founder/photographer Wendy Redfern features a stack of each print issue of the magazine. $1 from each double-CD or digital download will go to support Sweet Relief Musicians Fund.
Grandaddy appeared on the cover of Under the Radar’s first issue. On contributing to the compilation, and his choice of a song, songwriter Jason Lytle stated:
“Apparently my band Grandaddy was on the cover of issue #1 of Under the Radar and continued to have a cozy relationship with the mag, so it seemed a no brainer to be involved with the Covers of Cover project. I’m a big Metric fan. One time I drove from Bozeman to Salt Lake City (a 9hr. drive) to see them play live. I don’t even like going to shows. That says a lot. I chose ‘Blindness’ as it has been one of my favorite songs of theirs since I first heard it in 2009. I recorded and mixed it all in my garage, and enjoyed treading that line of trying to emulate some of the original sounds and ‘feels’ but also making it mine for a bit, and have a little fun.”
Regarding her decision to cover Modest Mouse’s “Trailer Trash,” EMA offered:
“This song reminds me of a person I used to be in love with. We were teenage robo-buddies. We drove around on gravel roads, pulling over at abandoned barns and country cemeteries. We weren’t physical, except once when I started crying, gave them a kiss and then ran out of the car. Very dramatic. People used to say we were going to end up married and living like the ‘trailer trash’ couple in this song. It didn’t happen.”
