All Frank Ocean covers should be approached with a certain baseline of respect. Covering someone who carries his most-famous songs largely via the otherworldy power of his voice is just asking to crash and burn, and only the boldest artists ever attempt it. To get over that initial and come away with something that’s actually great is an even rarer. But Matthew E. White and Flo Morrissey managed to pull it off — and do it on one of Ocean’s most well-known tracks — with their cover of “Thinkin’ Bout You.”
The cover starts a little slow. Admittedly, White’s voice is a harder sell than Ocean’s. But once Morrissey came crashing in on the chorus we were hooked, and we’re willing to bey you will be, too. Check it out below.
We don’t know where it stands next to Car Seat Headrest’s take on “Ivy”, but we do know it’s pretty excellent. The Frank cover comes from the duo’s upcoming covers album Gentlewoman, Ruby Man which also includes covers of Leonard Cohen, James Blake and others. But perhaps the cover most worthy of your time is this wonderful take on “Grease.” In the meantime, all respect to Matthew E. White for continuing to elevate the work of female artists.
Gentlewoman, Ruby Man is out on January 13 via Glassnote.
