Watch Angel Olsen & Sharon Van Etten Play Their New Acoustic Version Of “Like I Used To” On Kimmel
At the very beginning of the summer, the great singer-songwriters Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen teamed up for the triumphant duet “Like I Used To.” Shortly after the single’s release, Olsen and Van Etten performed “Like I Used To” together for the first time on The Tonight Show. Jeff Tweedy covered the track. And now Van Etten and Olsen have done a whole new version of “Like I Used To,” turning the track into an acoustic duet.
In releasing the song first in a fiery full-band rendition and then a stripped-down acoustic take, the whole “Like I Used To” rollout looks a lot like Angel Olsen’s decision to release the same songs on her albums All Mirrors and Whole New Mess. As with those two records, the acoustic version isn’t just a companion piece; it’s an entirely different read on the song. Both are great, but there’s something very cool about hearing Van Etten and Olsen’s voices coming together in a hushed and intimate sort of way.
Today, Olsen and Van Etten have released the studio version of “Like I Used To.” Last night, the two of them were the musical guests on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where the cameras captured them played the song together in the empty Los Angeles club Zebulon. They really seem to like being onstage at the same time and those voices sound amazing together. For whatever reason, though, it feels deeply weird to hear guest host David Spade introducing them. Below, check out the performance and listen to the studio version of the “Like I Used To” acoustic version.
“Like I Used To (Acoustic)” is out now on Jagjaguwar. Olsen’s new ’80s-covers EP Aisles is out digitally 8/20 and physically 9/24 on somethingscosmic, and we’ve already posted her versions of Laura Branigan’s “Gloria” and Men Without Hats’ “The Safety Dance.” Pre-order that EP here.