Madeline Johnston, the Denver musician who records as Midwife, specializes in a ghostly, tingly form of shoegaze that she calls “heaven metal.” Last year, she released her album Luminol, and it ruled. Since then, she’s collaborated with Nothing and toured with Deafheaven, and now she’s letting the world hear her version of dusty early-’00s butt-rock.

Johnston has already shown a kind of affinity for cheesy radio-rock Luminol featured her take on the Offspring’s “Gone Away.” Lately, the Flenser, Midwife’s label, has been releasing a series of nü-metal covers — Chat Pile taking on Sepultura, Wreck And Reference remaking Deftones, that kind of thing. For her contribution, Johnston has released her version of “Send The Pain Below,” the turgid 2003 hit from the Illinois post-grunge band Chevelle.

The Midwife version of “Send The Pain Below” sounds like thing like the Chevelle ones. In Johnston’s hands, the song becomes a glimmering lullaby that’s buried under waves of echo and sustain. It’s pretty! Below, check out the Midwife cover and the Chevelle original, as well as the dates for Midwife’s upcoming tour with the Body.

TOUR DATES:
5/05 – Oakland, CA @ Crybaby *
5/06 – Los Angeles, CA @ Zebulon *
5/07 – San Diego, CA @ Soda Bar *
5/08 – Phoenix, AZ @ Rebel Lounge *
5/09 – Tucson, AZ @ Groundworks *
5/10 – Albuquerque, NM @ Sister Bar *
5/13 – Austin, TX @ Oblivion Access Festival
5/17 – Atlanta, GA @ 529 *
5/18 – Durham, NC @ The Pinhook *
5/19 – Washington, DC @ Black Cat *
5/20 – Philadelphia, PA @ Kung Fu Necktie *
5/21 – Brooklyn, NY @ Saint Vitus *
5/22 – Cambridge, MA @ Sonia *
5/24 – Montréal, QC @ La Sala Rosa *
5/25 – Toronto, ON @ The Baby G *
5/26 – Detroit, MI @ The Sanctuary *
5/27 – Chicago, IL @ Empty Bottle *
5/28 – Milwaukee, WI @ Cactus Club *
5/29 – Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club *
5/31 – Denver, CO @ Larimer Lounge *
6/01 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge *
6/03 – Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project *
6/04 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge *

* with the Body

Midwife’s version of “Send The Pain Below” is out now on the Flenser.