Illy Mob has been one of our most prolific cover artists, but on top of that he always brings unique twists to the songs. He tells me he is a new musician, something he's just learning--and that Song Reader was an immediate and eager opportunity for him to keep learning:
"I felt this was a great way for me to retrain my brain to think creatively instead of just consuming creativity. For this I truly do commend Beck for this wonderful album."
Also, as usual, he's been a Beck fan for ages, but really started getting into Beck's albums and even some bootlegs after Sea Change. Vultures and Guilt are the other two he mentioned as favorites.
He has an upcoming show in June, if anyone is in the Connecticut area and wants to check it out! There's a few other musicians involved and it sounds like some Song Reader tracks may pop up! Illy Mob also says "As far as personal projects go, I've wanted to do an album about a cat who gets sent into outer space to save the universe, so maybe I'll get started on that." Yes to that, please!
Like I said, he's been prolific: you can listen to all his covers via his Soundcloud. He's ahead of me too, there's 4-5 I haven't got to yet at this writing, but I still have been looking forward to this collection post so I figured I'd go ahead now anyway.
Thanks for bringing your creativity and originality to these songs. I was immediately into the dark, foggy atmospheres he created for some of the early ones. Illy Mob expanded his palette a bit from there, but still maintained his own little corner of the Song Reader world. His "Saint Dude" was a 14-minute epic; he didn't just medley the patriotic songs on the back of "America," he sang them all as one song. Some of the tracks barely sound at all like the song they are, you have to listen very close; but that's part of this project too--pulling these songs into distant galaxies, and few are better at that than Illy Mob.
As Illy Mob described it, "this has been a great experience in song making, creativity, and overall musical enjoyment." For your listeners too!
1. "Old Shanghai" [link]
2. "There's A Sarcophagus In Egypt With Your Name On It" [link]
3. "Do We? We Do" [link]
4. "Don't Act Like Your Heart Isn't Hard" [link]
5. "I'm Down" [link]
6. "Saint Dude" [link]
7. "Today I Had A Lot Of Things To Do (But Them On Hold To Follow You)" [link]
8. "Eyes That Say 'I Love You'" [link]
9. "Please Leave A Light On When You Go" [link]
10. "Rough On Rats" [link]
11. "Late Patriotic Medley" [link]
12. "We All Wear Cloaks" [link]
13. "Sorry" [link]
14. "M-O-N-E-Y Spells Money / Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" [link]
15. "You Looked Alright In The Dark!" [link]
16. "Why Did You Make Me Care? (Space Cave version)" [link]
17. "Heaven's Ladder" [link]
18. "America, Here's My Boy" [link]
19. "Mutilation Rag" [link]
20. "The Wolf Is On The Hill" [link]
21. "Last Night You Were A Dream" [link]
22. "Just Noise" [link]
23. "Why Did You Make Me Care?" [link]
24. "The Last Polka" [link]
25. "Title Of This Song" [link]
26. "Bright Chocolate-Covered Pretzel Valley" [link]
27. "You Don't Have To Change Your Heart That Longs To Love You" [link]
28. "Why" [link]
29. "Quadrille Of Disquietude" [link]
30. "Everyday Reverie" [link]
31. "Laryngitus Lullaby" [link]
32. "Machu Picchu (Pleased To Meet You)" [link]
33. "Always Or Never Waltz" [link]
34. "Debasement Bagatelle" [link]
35. "Immolation Interlude" [link]
artist: Illy Mob
Soundcloud
