Over the last two decades, Chicago’s Bloodshot Records has released several important records in the modern alt-county canon. That includes Ryan Adams’ Heartbreaker, Neko Case’s Blacklisted, and Justin Townes Earles’ Nothing’s Gonna Change The Way You Feel About Me Now. Now, to celebrate its 20th anniversary, the label has put together a star-studded covers album.
While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records features various non-label artists covering 38 of the best songs from Bloodshot Records’ catalog. Contributors include Andrew Bird, Superchunk, Ted Leo, Diarrhea Planet, Frank Turner, Tim Kasher, Chuck Ragan, Hiss Golden Messenger, Shakey Graves, and Into It. Over It., among others.
A press release notes that “some [tracks] offer faithful versions; some bring their own particular bent, and some completely re-imagine or dismantle the material and take them places it’d never occur to us that they could go.”
As a preview of that first category, the label has shared Blitzen Trapper’s straightforward-but-subdued take on Adams’ Heartbreaker standout “To Be Young (Is To Be Sad, Is To Be High)”. With the rendition’s foot-stomping harmonica riffs and twangy guitar solos, the cover is a faithful recreation of the original’s rebellious mood. Listen in below (via Rolling Stone Country).
While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records arrives November 18th.
While No One Was Looking: Toasting 20 Years of Bloodshot Records Tracklist:
Disc 1:
01. Blitzen Trapper – “To Be Young (Is to Be Sad, Is to be High)”
Originally performed by Ryan Adams on 2000’s Heartbreaker
02. Chris Shiflett & The Dead Peasants – “Look the Other Way”
Originally performed by Justin Townes Earle on 2012’s Nothing’s Gonna Change the Way You Feel About Me Now
03. Samantha Crain – “Cold Forgiver”
Originally performed by Ha Ha Tonka on 2013’s Lessons
04. Chuck Prophet – “Dirt”
Originally performed by Andre Williams on 2012’s Hoods & Shades
05. Hiss Golden Messenger – “Where I Fell”
Originally performed by Robbie Fulks on 2013’s Gone Away Backward
06. Dave Davison (of Maps & Atlases) – “Things I Didn’t Say”
Previously performed by Bobby Bare, Jr.’s Young Criminals’ Starvation League on 2004’s From the End of Your Leash
07. Ted Leo – “Dragging My Own Tombstone”
Originally performed by Waco Brothers on 2000’s Electric Waco Chair
08. Into It. Over It. – “Deep Red Bells”
Originally performed by Neko Case on 2002’s Blacklisted
09. Split Single – “My Backyard”
Originally performed by Nora O’Connor on 2004’s Til the Dawn
10. Limbeck – “Sound of Running”
Originally performed by Old 97’s on 2000’s Early Tracks
11. Tim Kasher – “Aspidistra”
Originally performed by The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir on 2007’s The Scotland Yard Gospel Choir
12. Shakey Graves – “Happy Birthday Julie”
Originally performed by Wayne Hancock on 2001’s A-Town Blues
13. Ivan & Alyosha – “My Winding Wheel”
Originally performed by Ryan Adams on 2000’s Heartbreaker (2000)
14. Chuck Ragan – “Survivor Blues”
Originally performed by Cory Branan on 2012’s MUTT
15. The Minus 5 – “Cherokee Grove”
Originally performed by Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands on 2008’s Cody’s Dream
16. Carolyn Mark – “Last to Know”
Previously performed by Alejandro Escovedo on 1998’s More Miles Than Money
17. Daniel Romano – “Strange Birds”
Originally performed by Jon Langford & The Sadies on 2003’s Mayors of the Moon
18. Charlie Parr – “Manifold”
Originally performed by Devil in a Woodpile on 2000’s Division Street
19. The Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band – “St. Nick on the Fourth in a Fervor”
Originally performed by Ha Ha Tonka on 2007’s Buckle In The Bible Belt
20. Possessed By Paul James – “I Came Around”
Originally performed by Murder By Death on 2012’s Bitter Drink, Bitter Moon
Disc 2:
01. Andrew Bird and Nora O’Connor – “I’ll Trade You Money for Wine”
Originally performed by Robbie Fulks on 2013 Gone Away Backward
02. Ben Kweller – “2:00 AM”
Originally performed by The Meat Purveyors on 2002’s All Relationships Are Doomed to Fail
03. Frank Turner – “The Corner”
Originally performed by Cory Branan on 2012’s MUTT
04. Superchunk – “Come Pick Me Up”
Originally performed by Ryan Adams on 2000’s Heartbreaker
05. KOJI – “East Jefferson”
Originally performed by Ben Weaver on 2010’s Mirepoix & Smoke
06. The Great Crusades – “Fake Out Jesus” (Live)
Originally performed by The Blacks on 2000’s Just Like Home
07. Mike Watt & The Missingmen – “Up to My Neck In This”
Originally performed by Jon Langford & The Sadies on 2003’s Mayors of the Moon
08. Nicki Bluhm & the Gramblers – “Oh My Sweet Carolina”
Originally performed by Ryan Adams on 2000’s Heartbreaker
09. Jerry David DeCicca – “Broken Bottle”
Previously performed by Alejandro Escovedo on 1998’s More Miles Than Money
10. The Handsome Family – “1000 Dollar Car”
Originally performed by The Bottle Rockets on 2013’s The Brooklyn Side (1994, 2013)
11. Warm Soda – “All Grown Up”
Previously performed by Gore Gore Girls on 2007’s Get the Gore
12. James Leg (of Black Diamond Heavies) – “Is That You in the Blue?”
Originally performed by Dex Romweber Duo on 2011’s Is That You in the Blue?
13. Two Gallants – “Truck Driver”
Originally performed by Scott H. Biram on 2005’s The Dirty Old One Man Band
14. Diarrhea Planet – “Dry Land”
Originally performed by Waco Brothers on 1997’s Cowboy in Flames (1997)
15. Kevin “Shinyribs” Russell – “All the Time”
Originally performed by Lydia Loveless on 2013’s Boy Crazy
16. The North Carolina Music Love Army (featuring Caitlin Cary, Chip Robinson, and Kenny Roby) – “Stick to the Plan”
Originally performed by Graham Parker on 2007’s Don’t Tell Columbus (2007)
17. William Elliott Whitmore – “I Wish I Was the Moon”
Originally performed by Neko Case on 2002’s Blacklisted
18. Samuel Fogarino (of Interpol) – “Liked It a Lot”
Originally performed by Charlie Pickett on 1984’s Bar Band Americanus
