Toronto rock'n'roll outfit Teenage Kicks launched their very own singles club earlier this year, and with their brand new third instalment in the series, the band and some friends are paying tribute to the recently deceased Levon Helm. Teenage Kicks just dropped Singles Club Volume 3: A Tribute to Levon Helm, a four-song EP that features some classic covers of the Band's legendary drummer.
In addition to Teenage Kicks' versions of the Band's "Jemima Surrender," the EP includes tunes performed by the Dirty Nil ("When I Paint My Masterpiece"), Julianna Riolino ("Uh, Uh, Uh") and the Sweet Mac ("Don't Do It"). Steam the collection below, and sign up for the Teenage Kicks Singles Club over here to download the release for free.
In a statement about the release, Teenage Kicks frontman Peter van Helvoort wrote the following message about Helm:
"Jemima Surrender" was the song that began my love affair with the Band and Levon Helm, but it seemed like such a grand undertaking that we always avoided recording our own version of it. When Mr. Helm passed away from cancer a couple of months ago, it seemed like the time had come to hunker down and learn it proper. The night Levon died we played a show with the Dirty Nil and Julianna Riolino, they foolishly agreed to record a song for the EP and I consistently bugged them until they both came to our house just over a month later.
Everyone's song was tracked in a matter of hours, no studio trickery, just hard work and a few last minute jams in the basement. The Dirty Nil's reckless abandon towards the way things are 'supposed to be,' Julianna's incredibly powerful voice, the Sweet Mack's sludgy groove. Each band captured something they loved about Levon that has carried over into their own music in one way or another, whether you think you can hear it or not. The Big Pink-ish camaraderie that took place in our small basement in West Toronto during this process can't help but make you feel romantic about the way things were.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to us pay tribute to a very important man in the history of Rock and Roll.
Along with the new EP, all the bands involved with be playing some upcoming Toronto shows, including some at this week's NXNE festival. You can catch Teenage Kicks on June 15 at the El Mocambo (1 a.m.), the Dirty Nil at the Detour Bar on June 13 (11 p.m.) and the Sweet Mack at the Velvet Underground on June 14 (8 p.m.). Also, Julianna Riolino will play the Sister on July 13.
In addition to Teenage Kicks' versions of the Band's "Jemima Surrender," the EP includes tunes performed by the Dirty Nil ("When I Paint My Masterpiece"), Julianna Riolino ("Uh, Uh, Uh") and the Sweet Mac ("Don't Do It"). Steam the collection below, and sign up for the Teenage Kicks Singles Club over here to download the release for free.
In a statement about the release, Teenage Kicks frontman Peter van Helvoort wrote the following message about Helm:
"Jemima Surrender" was the song that began my love affair with the Band and Levon Helm, but it seemed like such a grand undertaking that we always avoided recording our own version of it. When Mr. Helm passed away from cancer a couple of months ago, it seemed like the time had come to hunker down and learn it proper. The night Levon died we played a show with the Dirty Nil and Julianna Riolino, they foolishly agreed to record a song for the EP and I consistently bugged them until they both came to our house just over a month later.
Everyone's song was tracked in a matter of hours, no studio trickery, just hard work and a few last minute jams in the basement. The Dirty Nil's reckless abandon towards the way things are 'supposed to be,' Julianna's incredibly powerful voice, the Sweet Mack's sludgy groove. Each band captured something they loved about Levon that has carried over into their own music in one way or another, whether you think you can hear it or not. The Big Pink-ish camaraderie that took place in our small basement in West Toronto during this process can't help but make you feel romantic about the way things were.
Thank you for taking the time to listen to us pay tribute to a very important man in the history of Rock and Roll.
Along with the new EP, all the bands involved with be playing some upcoming Toronto shows, including some at this week's NXNE festival. You can catch Teenage Kicks on June 15 at the El Mocambo (1 a.m.), the Dirty Nil at the Detour Bar on June 13 (11 p.m.) and the Sweet Mack at the Velvet Underground on June 14 (8 p.m.). Also, Julianna Riolino will play the Sister on July 13.
