Cover Alert | Phosphorescent Tackles Vampire Weekend

Phosphorescent is no stranger to the art of the cover. In fact Matthew Houck took it to a new level when he offered up an album entirely dedicated to deep cut Willie Nelson tunes with 2009’s must-hear record To Willie. Tackling the songbook of the country icon certainly was within the proverbial wheelhouse of the Cosmic-Americana band. In fact if Houck wanted to fold in a Gram Parsons or Waylon Jennings song or two into his live set, we’d be all for it. What we weren’t expecting was the Phosphorescent front man’s choice to go all contemporary on us for a cover tune.

Last week, during the band’s swing through California, Houck & Co. stopped by the studios of KCSN on the campus of Cal State Northridge where they offered a gorgeous stripped down take on Vampire Weekend’s “Ya Hey” from their most recent studio album Modern Vampires Of The City. VW’s ethereal gospel-march tune doesn’t fall too far from the tree from Phosphorescent’s “Song For Zula,” which Houck punctuates with his tender vocal warble. Give it a listen:

Written By: Jeffrey Greenblatt