Hear Father John Misty’s Cheeky Velvet Underground Cover
Father John Misty sings a faithful yet cheeky rendition of the Velvet Underground‘s “Who Loves the Sun” on the soundtrack to Eddie O’Keefe’s film Shangri-La Suite. The musician recorded the cover with the Mondo Boys, the composer/production duo of Mike Griffin and Mike Schanzlin, who helmed the Shangri-La Suite soundtrack and shared it as a 30-minute mixtape on Soundcloud, Pitchfork reports. “Who Loves the Sun” begins at the 2:59 mark.
The Mondo Boys expertly recreate the shuffling, psych twang of the Loaded opener, while Father John Misty delivers a vocal performance that reworks Lou Reed’s croaky ennui into the croon of a disaffected lounge singer. Father John Misty also provides the song’s sprightly back-up vocals, which the Mondo Boys said were pitched up to give them “a touch of that chipmunk sound.”
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Father John Misty’s “Who Loves the Sun” cover isn’t the first time he’s honored the Velvet Underground – though it’s a far more earnest tribute than his previous offering. In 2015, the musician responded to Ryan Adams’ full-album cover of Taylor Swift’s 1989 by reinterpreting Adams’ versions of Swift’s “Black Space” and “Welcome to New York” as Velvet Underground tracks. Father John Misty eventually took down the songs and apologized, saying the angry spirit of Lou Reed visited him in a dream.
Father John Misty recently released his third LP, Pure Comedy. The musician will embark on a short North American tour May 5th in Toronto, followed by a string of international dates and an extended North American run that begins September 13th in Boston.
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