In 2001 my friends and I went to see Ben Folds at the Orpheum Theater in Madison on a cold December night. It was sure to be a fantastic night as Ben, fresh off of closing the door on BFF, had recently released Rockin’ the Suburbs, an album that just barely spent more time in my discman than that tossed away Wilco record. While we waited for our generations piano man to come and greet us with his freshly cut choruses, our socks were figuratively blown off by a normal looking dude at a drum kit and a skinny Jewish kid named Eef that slung a large bodied guitar. They sure didn’t look like much as they joked about buying their suits at Ragstock, or recollected contemplating a walk up the giant hill down the way, but shit, Eef Barzelay and friend, billed as Clem Snide, were completely astounding.
After that night, while the the university newspaper pressrooms crowned and canonized The Strokes as the kings of campus and the angels of the headphonisphere, the attitude and whined out vox of Clem Snide sountracked my walks up the mini mountain known as Bascom Hill and kept me and my Americanos company at ERC. So today I bring you two cover songs from this fabulous little band that played such a big role in a great year of my life. I’d like to post the two versions of “I’ll Be Your Mirror.” One sung by sonic seductress Nico and the other by second godfather favorite songwriter, Lou Reed. I’d also like to exercise the right to not post the original of the other. I’ve heard it 3 million too many times already. But, I suppose, if you really need to hear it, just camp outside of the Wizard’s bedroom window. He loops it Monday through Thursday.
“Xtina- Better than coffee and a blue ribbon for excellence.”-THE WIZARD
Oh, and check out the bonus tracks below. Bon Iver played “Your Love” on Sunday. Its happy tears good!!! Happy tuesdaY!
MP3-I’ll Be Your Mirror- Clem Snide
MP3- I’ll Be Your Mirror- Velvet Underground w/ Nico
Mp3- I’ll Be Your Mirror- Velvet Underground
BONUS COVERS
MP3: Your Love (The Outfield)- Bon Iver
MP3- She Said, She Said (The Beatles)- The Black Keys
MP3: I’ll Be Your Mirror- Beck
Buy
Clem Snide’s A Beautiful Ep
-The Velvet Underground & Nico
-The Black Keys The Big Come Up
