The ubiquitous tribute album: The modern concept can trace its roots to Hal Willner and his Amarcord Nino Rota, which was an LP featuring both jazz and pop musicians covering the work of Italian composer Nino Rota; nearly 20 years later, the concept had sunk to the level of Train covering The DoorsAt any rate, there are some dandies out there and Everything Is Ending Here is certainly one of them. Checking in at 36 tracks longs, the album features indie bands such as Airport Girl and Comet Gain doing covers of their favorite Pavement tunes.
Kilmahog's Alasdair Roberts gets in on the fun, as well. Roberts, who spent the first half of his career recording under the pseudonym Appendix Out (including on Everything Is Ending Here), is one of Scotland's more notable recent folk artists. All told, he's released six albums, including 2001's Farewell Sorrow, which was issued on Rough Trade.
Hear it for yourself. Download: "Frontwards" by Appendix Out. An achingly beautiful cover song; the way Roberts' voice cracks during the last word in the chorus, "So much style that it's wasting," will make your heart rend in two.
