Just last month, Phosphorescent released C’est La Vie, the first new album from Matthew Houck since 2013’s Muchacho. It’s a record with an organic and natural sound, which seems very much to come from this planet. That stands in contrast to, say, something by Radiohead, which is often otherworldly in its aesthetic. Houck stopped by SiriusXM yesterday, and while there, he covered Radiohead’s “House Of Cards,” a highlight from their 2007 album In Rainbows, and he brought a considerably different energy to the track.
While Radiohead’s original has an alternative vibe that’s characteristic of the band thanks to its instrumentals and Thom Yorke’s idiosyncratic and extraterrestrial voice, Phosphorescent’s spin on the track gives it an earthier quality, especially since he performed the track with just a guitar and his voice. Both versions of the song are gentle, but while Radiohead’s recording is expansive, Phosphorescent’s rendition of the track is closer to a campfire serenade. Yorke’s voice isn’t one most singers want to try to measure themselves against because it’s a high standard, but Phosphorescent’s tender vocals serve this song well.
Listen to Phosphorescent’s cover of Radiohead’s “House Of Cards” above, and read our interview with Houck here.
C’est La Vie is out now via Dead Oceans. Get it here.
