Listen to Courtney Barnett cover Sleater-Kinney
Back in April, Sleater-Kinney celebrated the 25th anniversary of their seminal 1997 studio album Dig Me Out. Pretty much the ur-text on how punk rock would survive after the initial descent of riot grrrl, pop punk, and grunge, Dig Me Out is about as close to an instant classic LP that we’ve had in the last three decades.
But just because an album is an instant classic doesn’t mean it stops being a classic when it gets old enough to rent a car in America. Dig Me Out still feels as fresh and vital as it did when it was first released. Even better, we’re able to see the influence of the album filter into more modern artists in real-time.
That’s especially true now that we can expect a covers album this October. Dig Me In: A Dig Me Out Covers Album will feature a whole host of artists taking on Sleater-Kinney’s classic third album. Some artists are current trailblazers like St. Vincent and Self Esteem, while others are contemporary peers who appreciate what Sleater-Kinney has done for music, like Wilco and Low. All told, it’s set to be a grungy good time honouring one of the best albums of the last 30 years.
Today, we’re getting our first preview of the covers LP with Courtney Barnett’s take on ‘Words and Guitar’. Corin Tucker’s harried yelp had been replaced with a more monotone vocal performance that is signature Barnett. Otherwise, the cover is relatively faithful to the original, right down to the DIY garage sound. Barnett’s a little lusher with her arrangement, but it’s still right in line with what Sleater-Kinney perfected not too long ago.
Check out Barnett’s cover of ‘Words and Guitar’, plus the tracklisting for Dig Me In: A Dig Me Out Covers Album, down below.
Dig Me In: A Dig Me Out Covers Album tracklisting:
- St. Vincent – ‘Dig Me Out’
- Wilco – ‘One More Hour’
- Margo Price – ‘Turn It On’
- Tunde Adebimpe – ‘The Drama You’ve Been Craving’
- Self Esteem – ‘Heart Factory’
- Courtney Barnett – ‘Words And Guitar’
- Black Belt Eagle Scout – ‘It’s Enough’
- The Linda Lindas – ‘Little Babies’
- Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires – ‘Not What You Want’
- Tyler Cole – ‘Buy Her Candy’
- Big Joanie – ‘Things You Say’
- Low – ‘Dance Song ’97’
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