French Kicks released Swimming, fronted by the dreamy (“post-punk for cocktail hour,” we called it) “Abandon” and some coffee-fresh cover art, back in May. The New York quartet are heading on tour to support said collection, but are also offering up the four-song Covers EP, which finds them putting their mark on the Ramones, the Zombies, the Shirelles (via Carole King), and today’s focus, Lindsey Buckingham. So why a covers EP? Vocalist Nick Stumpf:

We’ve always loved the Beach Boys’ Party! record where the Beach Boys went into a studio room with some friends and played really loose and live, mainly cover songs, and then put it out … We don’t have any friends, in this case, but the spirit is the same. With the exception of “Trouble,” which was recorded at the same time as the songs on the record and has overdubs, everything is completely live, and a few we figured out how to play on the spot just before we recorded them.

Take a listen to “Trouble” while you study the Covers album art:

• French Kicks – “Trouble”Download

Not as trippy as the original. The Covers track list:

01 “Trouble” (Lindsey Buckingham)
02 “Questioningly” (The Ramones)
03 “Caroline Goodbye” (Colin Blunstone)
04 “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” (The Shirelles/written by Carole King)

The Covers EP is out 9/23 via Vagrant. Swimming is already out, and can be had at iTunes, if you don’t already own it. As of tomorrow, French Kicks are out on a headlining tour:

09/16 – Montreal, QC @ Il Motore
09/17 – Toronto, ON @ The Horseshoe
09/18 – Pontiac, MI @ The Pike Room
09/19 – Chicago, IL @ Double Door
09/20 – St. Louis, MO @ PLAY:stl Festival (Blueberry Hill Duck Room)
09/22 – Newport, KY @ Southgate House
09/23 – Pittsburgh, PA @ Rex Theatre
09/24 – New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom