Cover Me Impressed: 'This Will Be Our Year'

Well, it was 2004, and it didn't turn out to be THE year for the folks at MoveOn.org. With the help of Spike Jonze, John Flansburgh of They Might Be Giants and Barsuk Records, however, they did assemble a really nice compilation called 'Future Soundtrack for America.' All proceeds went to liberal organizations with the purpose of voting George W. Bush out of office. That part didn't work out so well (in the short run, anyway), but the collection of covers and live songs by Tom Waits, Sleater-Kinney, R.E.M., David Byrne, the Flaming Lips, Yeah Yeah Yeahs and many others was a complete success.

One of the best from the lot is "This Will Be Our Year" from OK Go. If you don't know the original from the Zombies, then it's likely you haven't discovered the '60s classic 'Odessey & Oracle.' I have never made a best albums of the '60s list, but I'm confident that one would be in my top 20.

As for OK Go, I was once a big fan and saw them many times around Chicago in their infancy before they were signed. OK Go's demos from that time period were brilliant. Many of those songs made their full-length debut for Capitol in 2002, but they lost their charm to, I'm guessing, major-label producers and other brass. One thing is for sure, these guys have great taste in music. Every cover I have ever heard them do has been by a band I love. Some of my favorites have been by the Pixies, the Smiths and the Specials. Seek out these covers. You will not be disappointed. Yes, you can still buy 'Future Soundtrack for America.'

OK Go - This Will Be Our Year (mp3)
The Zombies - This Will Be Our Year (mp3)