With their vibrant kitchen-sink folk drawing as much from Laurel Canyon as it does from the phosphorescent hue and broken glass strewn back-alleys of industrial Brooklyn, it makes total sense that Woods would cover Graham Nash's political ballad "Military Madness." Sure, the Bush regime is out of office and a new day has risen in the country, albeit one filled with cancerous headlines, ass-backward economic plans and a penchant for multi-national wars, however, Woods cover of Songs for Beginner's opening cut is a supreme example of a band channeling the past in the present, and in turn, transforming what could be a long, lost relic from an underrated Graham Nash solo record into a poignant tune for lost souls searching for purity and truth amidst muckrackers, ponzi-schemers and other greedy mongers of industry. While the lyrical content is fairly obvious, what lurks in Woods' cover is a slinky, almost hypnotizing looseness that spirals and engulfs the blissful jam like a cyclone, sucking up everything in its path, shaking the shit out of it and dropping it back down to earth, a bit battered and bruised but better for the trip.
Be sure to pick up Woods latest release Songs of Shame and while you're at it snag Woods Family Creeps and that Captured Tracks 7". You'll be happy you did.
Woods- Military Madness (Graham Nash cover)
3 comments:
I know these guys are finally getting some press now, but it is a long time coming. They have released so many solid albums.
I'm interested to compare this cover to Obits version that is coming out on the Subpop Record Store Day 7". It's kinda crazy that two bands are releasing versions of this song around the same time.
oh wow. i saw you write up about obits 7" but i didn't even put two and two together. definitely will be looking forward to hearing that.
Hey McG,
I saw your post about "Military Madness," so I thought I'd send along a link to our version:
http://www.obitsurl.com/wp02/lose/
Theirs is much truer to the original, but the shuffle and swing that Woods bring to the song is really nice. I particularly like the vocal sound they get. And the drum fill around 2:45 is killer.
Ben Gibbard attempts it as well, but doesn't really do it for me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BExr5avRIf0
Cheers,
-Sohrab/Obits.
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