LHB’s Shorties (Beck, The Swell Season and More)

At the Details blog, Jeff Gordinier critiques Beck's cover of Leonard Cohen's "Suzanne."

We really like Leonard Cohen. And we like Beck, for that matter. Mostly. But this cover of "Suzanne" is an atrocity. It's worse than bad—it's such an insult to the legend of Leonard Cohen that we feel like introducing the aging Canadian ladies' man to a lawyer so that he can sue these lazy hipsters to get his dignity back. Listen to the Beck Record Club's version of "Suzanne" and you will encounter a perfect example of what might be called "smugism": singing in a self-consciously droopy and tuneless chorus that suggests nothing so much as a collective yawn, Beck and his bohemian buds give off the impression that they couldn't be bothered to crawl out of bed for this song, let alone put any genuine feeling into it. It's not a remake; it's a pose.

The A.V. Club interviews Glan Hansard of the Swell Season and the Frames.

Glide interviews Portugal. The Man's John Gourley.

The Retriever Weekly lists "must-have, life-defining" soundtracks.

New York Magazine lists five music bloggers who are digital tastemakers.

CNN profiles the music school founded by Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea.

NPR's Monitor Mix blog is soliciting photos of your music collection.

The Mountain Goats visit The Current studio for an interview and live performance.

Fingertips ponders the future of music in an essay titled, "Farewell to the Casual Music Fan."

- David Gutowski