Making a Radiohead song your own is no small feat, let alone in the form of an easy-to-scrutinize studio recording, but Amanda Palmer has done just that with today’s self-release of her 7-track covers EP, Amanda Palmer Performs The Popular Hits Of Radiohead On Her Magical Ukulele (streaming below).
Armed primarily with said “magical” Hawaiian 4-string, Palmer strips Radiohead’s hits down to bare-boned chords, Thom Yorke’s caustic lyrics, and appropriately half-histrionic declarations. The vocal performances here are perfectly too close for comfort, I’d say, exposing every nuance in her voice while she morphs these epic rock jams into modern folk standards. Palmer’s take on Kid A‘s “Idioteque” is still a fave, but “No Surprises” and “Creep (Hungover at Soundcheck in Berlin)” give it a run for its money. Oh, and as for $$…
Digital copies can be purchased for a minimum donation of $0.84 to cover royalty/PayPal fees here, while uber-fans can purchase the album bundled with one of six hand-painted ukes, a personal Skype call with Palmer, a recording of Palmer singing a haiku written by you, and other interesting perks at various pricing tiers here. Preview the entire album: