Dirty Projectors - "Gimme Gimme Gimme"

Download: Dirty Projectors - "Gimme Gimme Gimme"
Download: Black Flag - "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie"
Download: Dirty Projectors - "No More"

I was driving back from my girlfriend's place, and fruitlessly searching for something to listen on the radio, when I came upon good old WLUW. I don't why I didn't start out with that station in the first place, but I suppose it doesn't matter now. What does matter is that the station was playing Dirty Projectors excellent, otherworldy, cover of "Gimme Gimme Gimme" by Black Flag. The song is just one of ten songs that are part of the Dirty Projectors new album, the title of which is Rise Above. As you may have guessed, the record involves Dirty Projectors covering Black Flag, specifically their seminal 1981 release Damaged.

The interesting thing about the project is that Dirty Projectors leader Dave Longstreth re-imagines the songs from Damaged completely from memory. The result is that these songs have been completely re-interpreted, and hearing them removed from their original context is fascinating. The Projectors turn "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie" into a song that sounds like ABBA covering "Baba O' Reilly" by The Who, but keeping the abrupt transitions of the original song. Gone is the unbridled rage, obviously, but this new version is absolutely incredibly. The song is posted on the top, along with the new version of "No More" and the original "Gimmie Gimmie Gimmie" for comparison.

Rise Above will be released on Sept. 11th.

Order the album here.

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(Jonathan Graef)