Pharmakon – “Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” (Nancy Sinatra Cover)
“Bang Bang (My Baby Shot Me Down)” was a 1966 hit by Sonny and Cher, but may now be more associated with Nancy Sinatra, whose sparse cover heightened its drama. For Sacred Bones’ annual Record Store Day Comp, Todo Muere Vol. 4, the noise artist Pharmakon (aka Margaret Chardiet, one of the Best New Artists Of 2013) covered the song in the spirit of Sinatra. Over dreamy, saccharine drones, it floats only to be interrupted by quick, caustic blasts of noise. It pays tribute to the song’s pop and drama, while sounding unmistakably like Chardiet’s handiwork. If you’re familiar with the shouts, howls, and screams of Pharmakon’s Abandon, you’ll be surprised to hear Chardiet singing with a smokiness and beauty that fits Sinatra perfectly.
Todo Muere Vol. 4 is out 4/19 via Sacred Bones.