Album: Vetiver, Thing Of The Past (Fat Cat)

This follow-up to the 2006 album To Find Me Gone is a covers album featuring tracks originally recorded by some of Vetiver leader Andy Cabic’s favourite artists.

The songs originate from the dustier corners of pop history, particularly the late- Sixties/early-Seventies era of obscure singer-songwriters such as Michael Hurley and Biff Rose. Hurley puts in an appearance on his own jolly truck-driving song “Blue Driver”, and Vashti Bunyan does likewise on “Sleep A Million Years”.

Elsewhere, the general tone of songs such as “Hook & Ladder” and Townes Van Zandt's “Standin’” is akin to The Grateful Dead in their countrified American Beauty phase. By comparison, Hawkwind's "Hurry On Sundown" comes back down to earth with a jolt, re-imagined as a lolloping folk-blues boogie.

"Hook & Ladder" from Thing Of The Past features in this month's Independent Audio Player. to listen.

To buy downloads of the music featured in Music Magazine visit independent.co.uk/buymusic