Ever since first hearing this recording on a Beatles covers album dubbed Let It Be Revisted, which came with a recent issue of Mojo, I was hoping it would see an official release or hit the Web for all to enjoy. Well, thanks to YouTube, a stream of Phosphorescent’s gorgeously bruised yet hopeful version of Lennon/McCartney classic “Across the Universe” has arrived.
Just as he did with cuts from his excellent Willie Nelson covers record, Matthew Houck has turned in a patiently nuanced rendition here, in which honey-dipped vocals rest comfortably on a bed of pedal steel and softly brushed drums. Few have put convincing Beatles covers to tape over the years, but Houck and friends, I’d say, have pulled it off. Give it a spin here or below:
Phosphorescent – “Across the Universe” (Beatles Cover)