As they prepare to release their upcoming EP, Oakland-based Feed Me Jack put out a phenomenal collection of covers last night. With Little Dragon, Steely Dan, Weezer and more included, the 5-track project showcases Feed Me Jack’s experimental indie rock and versatile musicianship to perfection. As with all great covers, the songs are complete re-imaginations that take each song to unique and exciting places.
Their take on Little Dragon’s “Twice,” our personal favorite, starts similarly to the original utilizing a beautiful acoustic backing, but around the 1-minute mark expands on that initial melody falling into a blissful guitar jam. It’s the type of song that only gets better the longer you listen–after repeating the chorus it once again erupts into a gorgeously composed outro. Feed Me Jack’s take on Steely Dan’s “Reelin’ in the Years,” another stand-out, transforms the original into an airy, guitar-layered jam session mixed in with flawless horns. Add in some goofy ad-libs, and it captures FMJ’s breezy quirkiness making for a completely different listen than the classic original.
It’s interesting hearing a young band like FMJ, who’s musicianship gives them freedom to take on endless sonic endeavors, truly establishing a sound. It’s even more intriguing that they’re able to do so while covering other artists’ music. Feed Me Jack are currently working on originals for their next EP, which they expect to drop in August. Based on some of the experimentation we’re hearing on this project, we really can’t wait for what they have in store. You can pick up the full covers EP over at their Bandcamp page for free and check out our interview with them from a few months back here.
