New Marianne Faithfull (Feat. Nick Cave) - "The Crane Wife 3" (Decemberists Cover) (Stereogum Premiere)

The new Marianne Faithfull -- her 22nd album in all, if you're counting -- will feature a number of guests, including Chan Marshall, Anthony Hegarty, Sean Lennon, Keith Richards, Teddy Thompson, and Rufus Wainwright. Pulling a late-period Johnny Cash, the collection, produced by Hal Willner, features Faithfull putting her stamp on a dozen songs written by other people. Nick Cave, who also collaborated on 2005's Before the Poison, accompanies her on this cover of the Decemberists' "The Crane Wife 3." Besides the Decemberists, she covers Espers, Morrissey, Neko Case, Merle Haggard (with Keith Richards), etc. You can peruse the details of the tracklist while Faithfull takes us under the boughs unbowed.

01 "Down From Dover" (written by Dolly Parton)
02 "Hold On, Hold On" (written by Neko Case, Feat. Chan Marshall and Sean Lennon)
03 "Solitude" (written by Billie Holiday)
04 "The Crane Wife 3" (written by The Decemberists, Feat. Nick Cave)
05 "Easy Come, Easy Go" (written by Bessie Smith)
06 "Children of Stone" (written by Espers, Feat. Rufus Wainwright)
07 "How Many Worlds" (written by Brian Eno, Feat. Teddy Thompson)
08 "In Germany Before the War" (written by Randy Newman)
09 "Ooh Baby Baby" (written by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, Feat. Antony Hegarty)
10 "The Phoenix" (written by Judee Sill, ft. Sean Lennon)
11 "Dear God Please Help Me" (written by Morrissey)
12 "Sing Me Back Home" (written by Merle Haggard, Feat. Keith Richards)

Easy Come, Easy Go is out 3/17 via Decca. You can stream additional tracks, including Antony's Smokey Robinson turn, at the album's official site and at MySpace. Faithfull just announced two shows at City Winery, NYC on 3/27 and 3/28. So keep watch for those.

[Marianne photo by Patrick Swirc]

Posted at 12:22 PM by brandon
Tags: Marianne Faithfull | Nick Cave | The Decemberists

9 Comments

fucking awesome. Her brokedown voice adds even more character to the song. Its ugly pretty.

Posted by: KR at 01/30/09 1:18 PM | Reply
Score = 2

the beginning kinda sounds like the theme song to my so-called life....

Posted by: matt0009 at 01/30/09 1:50 PM | Reply
Score = -2

the real treat on this album is the cover of neko's "hold on hold on". its soulful as hell. wonderful.

Posted by: annie onymous at 01/31/09 9:04 AM | Reply
Score = 1

Her website says there's an 18-track version on deluxe CD and vinyl. Anyone know the tracklist for that one?

Posted by: Devin at 01/31/09 1:06 PM | Reply
Score = 0

1.1 Down From Dover
1.2 Hold On Hold On
1.3 Solitude
1.4 The Crane Wife
1.5 Easy Come Easy Go
1.6 Children of Stone
1.7 How Many Worlds
1.8 In Germany Before the War
1.9 Ooh Baby Baby
1.10 Sing Me Back Home
2.1 Salvation
2.2 Black Coffee
2.3 The Phoenix
2.4 Dear God Please Help Me
2.5 Kimbie
2.6 Many a Mile for Freedom
2.7 Somewhere
2.8 Flandyke Shore

via rateyourmusic. ive been sitting on this version for a while. its got some really great tunes.

Posted by: annie onymous in reply to Devin's comment at 01/31/09 3:25 PM | Reply
Score = 1

Am I the only one that thinks she sounds like Vic Chesnutt?

Posted by: wilceaux at 01/31/09 7:55 PM | Reply
Score = -1

Credit correction: Solitude was exactly written by Duke Ellington, not Lady Day.

Posted by: V. Scott at 03/13/09 11:19 PM | Reply
Score = 0

just picked up the album today and it's amazing.

Posted by: minkyung at 03/17/09 6:32 PM | Reply
Score = 0

Am I the only one who thinks she just disgraced this song?

Posted by: jake at 03/30/09 9:41 PM | Reply
Score = 2