Fiona Apple, Paul McCartney, Black Keys, Modest Mouse and more sign on for Buddy Holly tribute
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The catalog of rock ‘n’ roll pioneer Buddy Holly has continued to thrive long after the singer’s life tragically ended at 22, and it will get a fresh look this summer when artists as varied as Cee Lo Green, Kid Rock, Fiona Apple, Modest Mouse, Lou Reed and Paul McCartney will appear on the 19-track collection ‘Rave On Buddy Holly.’ To be released June 28 by Fantasy Records/Concord Music Group, ‘Rave On’ features recently-recorded takes on Holly classics such as ‘That’ll Be the Day,’ ‘Peggy Sue’ and ‘Oh Boy,’ among others.
The set opens with bluesy revivalists the Black Keys tackling ‘Dearest,’ and comes to a close with Graham Nash revisiting ‘Raining In My Heart.’ In between, the likes of She & Him take on ‘Oh Boy,’ Modest Mouse remakes ‘That’ll Be the Day’ and Karen Elson, with husband Jack White, refashions ‘Crying, Waiting, Hoping.’ Florence + the Machine cover one of Holly’s signature songs in ‘Not Fade Away,’ and Apple, largely absent since the release of her last album in 2005, teams up again with Jon Brion for ‘Every Day.’
McCartney, long a champion of Holly’s work (he produced and hosted tribute film ‘The Real Buddy Holly Story’) sings ‘It’s So Easy.’ Perhaps not coincidentally, McCartney’s MPL Music Publishing administers the rights of Holly’s catalog, and late last year the Beatle moved his solo work to the local independent Concord Music Group. The ‘Rave On’ project was overseen by music supervisor Randall Poster.
A press release from Concord promises that ‘Rave On’ ‘steers clear of the reverent re-creations typically found on similar projects.’ Florence + the Machine, for instance, are said to bring a New Orleans vibe to ‘Not Fade Away,’ a song famously covered by the Rolling Stones, and Modest Mouse are teased to bring ‘That’ll Be the Day’ into avant-garde territory.
Poster is quoted in the press release: “As the tracks from various contributors were gathered for the album, we seemed to be gathering pieces of a complex and original puzzle … that traces back to the roots of rock and roll and shapes so much of the music that followed.”
A full track list is after the jump:
1. ‘Dearest,’ The Black Keys
2. ‘Every Day,’ Fiona Apple & Jon Brion
3. ‘It’s So Easy,’ Paul McCartney
4. ‘Not Fade Away,’ Florence + The Machine
5. ‘(You’re So Square) Baby, I Don’t Care,’ Cee Lo Green
6. ‘Crying, Waiting, Hoping,’ Karen Elson
7. ‘Rave On,’ Julian Casablancas
8. ‘I’m Gonna Love You Too,’ Jenny O.
9. ‘Maybe Baby,’ Justin Townes Earle
10. ‘Oh Boy,’ She & Him
11. ‘Changing All Those Changes,’ Nick Lowe
12. ‘Words Of Love,’ Patti Smith
13. ‘True Love Ways,’ My Morning Jacket
14. ‘That’ll Be The Day,’ Modest Mouse
15. ‘Well… All Right,’ Kid Rock
16. ‘Heartbeat,’ The Detroit Cobras
17. ‘Peggy Sue,’ Lou Reed
18. ‘Peggy Sue Got Married,’ John Doe
19. ‘Raining In My Heart,’ Graham Nash
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-- Todd Martens
