For someone in his 60s, Stevie Wonder is more than an American icon. He's a prodigy. Will Smith knew that and didn't even try to play with the original. Instead, he got as ridiculous as it gets.
Nina Corcoran
DANCING AT THE DISCOTHEQUE WITH STARS
"People who fell in love with Funeral and You Forgot It In People were having sex for the first time and getting stoned for the first time and wanting to move out of their house and realizing that life sucks -- aka growing up. We happened to be lucky enough to be there."
TALKING WITH MEATBODIES (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH MEATLOAF)
Chad Ubovich has been hiding behind Ty Segall, FUZZ, and Mikal Cronin onstage. But on his friends’ tours, Ubovich was busy writing his own material under the moniker Meatbodies, and now he's making a remarkable debut.
RUN FOR COVER: NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS VS. COLD WAR KIDS: “OPIUM TEA”
Cold War Kids take Nick Cave's song and do their best getting a smile out of his grim number.
GETTING EXPERIMENTAL WITH BUKE AND GASE
Brooklyn DIY multi-instrumentalists Arone Dyer and Aron Sanchez are gearing up for their third full-length, but being such a musical tour de force, the path to get there is more crooked than ever.
PERFUME GENIUS VS. THE NATIONAL: “LEARNING”
The National keep the same atmosphere present and repeat it as an echo, letting their vocals and spaced guitar offer a hug to Perfume Genius, albeit several years later
REVIEW + FOTOBOM: GARDENS & VILLA AT THE SINCLAIR
It seems blog hype doesn't always lead to a rise and fall. If the cards are played right, the only direction you can go is up. Gardens & Villa are talented enough to follow that route.
RUN FOR COVER: SMOKEY ROBINSON VS. POND: “TEARS OF A CLOWN”
Covering Motown staples can be a tricky thing: there's so much foundation, so much charm, and so little room for improvement. Pond acknowledged that and sat down to play their own loose, fun version.
THE NEW TESTAMENT OF CHRISTOPHER OWENS
Ex-Girls frontman Christopher Owens happened to be a highly religious cult member, but he’s run off to California to make the country music that’s always been in the back of his mind.
LYKKE LI VS. FRIENDLY FIRES: “I’M GOOD, I’M GONE”
Friendly Fires made “I’m Good, I’m Gone” a sultry dance track to end your evening on the perfect note. Make sure to use it as such.