The Brit band team up with teen singer Birdy (who made her name with a well-received Bon Iver cover) for this charming folk number – which appears on the soundtrack to Pixar’s new movie, Brave. “Learn Me Right” makes up for what it lacks in grammatical fidelity with enough close-knit harmonies to stuff a haggis.
The Flaming Lips "Knives Out"
On the day that drum tech Scott Johnson was killed in a stage collapse ahead of Radiohead’s show in Toronto, The Flaming Lips called on fans at their own show to send their thoughts to those involved in the incident. To cap the tribute, frontman Wayne Coyne led the band in a rendition of “Knives Out,” warbling in a manner that would have made Thom Yorke proud.
Twin Shadow "Five Seconds"
The video to George Lewis Jr.’s new track is based on a short story written by the man himself. It’s a tale of golden motorcycles, slow-motion combat and Mad Max-style gangs of road warriors. Which tells us more about Lewis Jr. than we’d probably care to know.
Ed Sheeran "Small Bump"
The fifth single from the all-conquering Brit singer-songwriter forgoes his usual cheeky wordplay in favor of a sweet ballad about the emotional anguish of a miscarriage.
Enter Shikari "Call Me Maybe"
Visiting the offices of U.K. music magazine NME, English rockers Enter Shikari showed off their more delicate side with a version of Carly Rae Jepsen’s hit. Showcasing some impressively intricate harmonies, the band also made a concession to local vernacular, tweaking the chorus into an altogether more regional “Oi! I just met you.”
Macy Gray "Sail"
Featuring on Covered, her album of, well, covers, Macy Gray’s take on Awolnation’s “Sail” is a rapturous affair. Swapping the heavy electronica of the original for cascading strings and synths, Gray’s version is almost cinematic in its joyful sense of self-importance.
The Shins "No Way Down"
The video for The Shins’ new single features the band performing the track from a small cabin studio in Oregon. No more, no less. Proof that watching good musicians make good music trumps conceptual video shoots any day.
First Aid Kit "Blue"
It takes a rare amount of skill to make lyrics like, “And the only man you ever loved/Who you thought was gonna marry you/Died in a car accident when he was only 22/Then you just decided love wasn’t for you/And every year since then has proved it to be true” sound sweet, but the interweaving vocals of Swedish duo First Aid Kit manage to make even the most horrific of mental images rather romantic.
