Lemon Twigs.jpeg

1. The Everly Brothers “The Songs of the Everly Brothers”
2. Various artists “A Carnival of Sorts: An R.E.M. covers compilation”
3. The Lemon Twigs “LIVE”

Bandcamp is an online music platform used largely by independent artists and record labels to stream songs and sell merchandise. It’s also a vibrant virtual community teeming with interesting sounds just waiting to be discovered. Each week, I’ll highlight three releases available on the site that are well worth your time and attention. If you find something you dig, please consider supporting the artist with a purchase.

The Everly Brothers, “The Songs of The Everly Brothers”

Don Everly died on Saturday at the age of 84. He was a legendary singer, songwriter and guitarist, best known as half of the pioneering early rock ’n’ roll duo The Everly Brothers, alongside his brother Phil (who died in 2014). The Everlys’ influence on the past, oh, 60 years of popular music cannot be overstated. From Bob Dylan, the Beatles and the Byrds to Simon & Garfunkel, Green Day and even contemporary bands like The Cactus Blossoms, just about every prominent pop and/or rock artist who has played guitar and sang melodies (and harmonies) has had Don and Phil’s songs reverberating in their musical DNA. This compilation passes over most of the siblings’ biggest hits (“Bye Bye Love” and “Cathy’s Clown,” for example) and collects 36 demos that put the focus directly on their singular sound.

Various artists, “A Carnival of Sorts: An R.E.M. covers compilation”

Let’s be honest: A compilation full of artists you’ve never heard of paying tribute to one of the great rock bands of all time sounds like a sure recipe for a mixed bag, doesn’t it? But the 40 acts on “A Carnival of Sorts” tackle the incredible catalog of R.E.M. and acquit themselves quite well. Of note: Australian pop band Quivers doing “Near Wild Heaven,” English singer-songwriter S.T. Manville’s banjo-based version of “Welcome to the Occupation” and the lyrics of “It’s The End of the World as We Know It (and I Feel Fine)” rewritten for 2021 by London “riotpop” band I, Doris. Some are faithful to the originals, some are way out there and all are good reminders of just how many killer songs R.E.M. wrote, recorded and released during their time together. Shout out to music/culture webzine God Is In The TV for putting this together.

The Lemon Twigs, “LIVE”

The Lemon Twigs are one of the most distinctive rock bands going these days, in part because their whole thing — their sound, their look, their antics — recalls ’70s pop-rock giants like Big Star, Todd Rundgren and Badfinger, and you don’t see that too often anymore. To be clear: Brothers Michael and Brian D’Addario don’t come off like a ’70s nostalgia act. They come off like they were actually plucked from the ’70s, imported into modern times and plopped down on stages across the world that are barely big enough to contain their considerable swagger. It would all ring a bit hollow if their songs stunk, but the D’Addarios know how to put together a killer pop-rock track you’ll be humming in your head long after the gig is over. All their studio albums are worth checking out, but on Bandcamp, you can hear what they sound like live.