Ben Gibbard – “Keep Yourself Warm” (Frightened Rabbit Cover)
Even before Scott Hutchison died last year, a legion of artists were lining up to honor Frightened Rabbit’s masterpiece The Midnight Organ Fight. The tribute album Tiny Changes was already in the works before Hutchison’s suicide, assembled out of reverence for an incredible set of songs. The compilation is finally coming out this Friday following advance tracks from the likes of Julien Baker and Sarah Silverman. And today we get to hear another star transform one of Hutchison’s best songs.
That performer is Ben Gibbard, whose band Death Cab For Cutie toured with Frightened Rabbit (and covered “My Backwards Walk” last year, as commenter llockhartt reminds me.) Gibbard also performed at a Hutchison tribute show in Brooklyn, and now he’s made a lovely contribution to Tiny Changes. Gibbard’s beautiful deconstructed version of “Keep Yourself Warm” is more atmospheric than the original while maintaining its epic scope. You can tell he put loving care into every second of this recording.
Hear it below, and check out our interview with Hutchison’s brother and bandmate Grant here.
Tiny Changes: A Celebration Of The Midnight Organ Fight is out 7/12. Pre-order it here.