Draft Board for 4/8/08: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Adele, Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra

Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!!
I’d like to thank everyone who gave me Nick Cave-related advice when I asked for it a couple of weeks back. I took your recommendations and, coupled with a lot of research, snagged the 1989 Best of comp and 2004’s Abattoir Blues/The Lyre of Orpheus, and have officially become a convert (one listen to “Into My Arms” and you’ll cross over, too — it’s simply one of the best songs I’ve ever heard). I’ve really enjoyed the title track, and the reviews of Dig!!! Lazarus Dig!!! pin it as one of Cave’s best ever, so I’m anxious as heck to give it a spin. Grab it at Amazon MP3.

Adele, 19
This debut album from hotly-tipped British soul singer Adele has already topped the UK album charts, spawned a #2 single (the excellent “Chasing Pavements”), and even garnered her a Brit award (the first-ever Critics’ Choice prize), and now it’s finally hitting US shores. I imported the disc from the UK & have been digging it all year — she’s got an amazing voice, and with it she’s been able to do what I thought to be nearly impossible: cover Bob Dylan’s “Make You Feel My Love” without turning it into shmaltzy crap. iTunes is the exclusive distributor of 19 for now, so grab it there — it comes with a music video for “Melt My Heart to Stone” and a digital booklet.

Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra, Enjoy
I can’t believe this flew in under my radar all the way back in January! My favorite jazz ensemble that exclusively covers Björk songs released a studio album! I can’t remember how I first stumbled across Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra, but they’re one of my favorite musical oddities, and their interpretations of my favorite Icelandic pixie’s best work is really creative and fun. You’ve really got to hear it to believe it:

Download: Travis Sullivan’s Bjorkestra, “Hyperballad” (mp3)
(Right-click/control-click link to download)

Fans will totally dig it, and I think it’ll please non-Bj&oum;rkophiles, too: if you’re turned off by her odd vocal tics (and I know loads of people who are), you’ll finally be able to enjoy her songs. Grab it at Amazon MP3.