On May 20th, The National will let loose Day of the Dead, their long-in-the-works Grateful Dead tribute album. Due out through 4AD Records, the massive LP spans a jaw-dropping 59 songs from some of indie rock’s biggest names, such as Wilco, Mumford and Sons, The Flaming Lips, Anhoni, My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, Sharon Van Etten, Local Natives, and of course, The National themselves.
While the project’s release is still a ways off, today we receive a pretty generous preview in the form of five songs: Courtney Barnett takes on “New Speedway Boogie”; The War on Drugs tackle “Touch of Grey”; The National put their spin on “Morning Dew”; Bruce Hornsby and DeYarmond Edison (Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon and Megafaun) offer up their rendition of “Black Muddy River”; and Jenny Lewis and Phosphorescent team up for “Sugaree”. The National’s own Aaron and Bryce Dessner served as producers for these cuts, as well as the entire LP.
Stream all five covers below.
Courtney Barnett – “New Speedway Boogie”:
The War on Drugs – “Touch of Grey”:
The National – “Morning Dew”:
Bruce Hornsby and DeYarmond Edison – “Black Muddy River”:
Jenny Lewis and Phosphorescent – “Sugaree”:
Day of the Dead will be available digitally, as a 5xCD set, and as a limited edition vinyl box set. All proceeds will go to the Red Hot Organization, a nonprofit that fights against AIDS.
Additionally, a handful of the tribute album’s contributors are expected to stage a live performance of Day of the Dead at this year’s Eaux Claires Music Festival, set for August 12th – 13th in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Day of the Dead Tracklist:
Thunder (Vol. 1)
01. The War on Drugs – “Touch of Grey”
02. Phosphorescent, Jenny Lewis & Friends – “Sugaree”
03. Jim James & Friends – “Candyman”
04. Moses Sumney, Jenny Lewis & Friends – “Cassidy”
05. Bruce Hornsby and DeYarmond Edison – “Black Muddy River”
06. Ed Droste, Binki Shapiro & Friends – “Loser”
07. The National – “Peggy-O”
08. Kurt Vile and the Violators (featuring J Mascis) – “Box of Rain”
09. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & Friends – “Rubin and Cherise”
10. Perfume Genius, Sharon Van Etten & Friends – “To Lay Me Down”
11. Courtney Barnett – “New Speedway Boogie”
12. Mumford & Sons – “Friend of the Devil”
13. Lucius – “Uncle John’s Band”
14. The Lone Bellow & Friends – “Me and My Uncle”
15. Lee Ranaldo, Lisa Hannigan & Friends – “Mountains of the Moon”
16. Anohni and yMusic – “Black Peter”
17. Bryce Dessner – “Garcia Counterpoint”
18. Daniel Rossen, Christopher Bear and The National (featuring Josh Kaufman, Conrad Doucette, So Percussion and Brooklyn Youth Chorus) – “Terrapin Station (Suite)”
19. Angel Olsen – “Attics of My Life”
20. Wilco with Bob Weir – “St. Stephen (live)”
Lightning (Vol. 2)
01. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy – “If I Had the World to Give”
02. Phosphorescent & Friends – “Standing on the Moon”
03. Charles Bradley and Menahan Street Band – “Cumberland Blues”
04. The Tallest Man on Earth & Friends – “Ship of Fools”
05. Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & Friends – “Bird Song ”
06. The National – “Morning Dew”
07. Marijuana Deathsquads – “Truckin’”
08. Cass McCombs, Joe Russo & Friends – “Dark Star”
09. Nightfall of Diamonds – “Nightfall of Diamonds”
10. Tim Hecker – “Transitive Refraction Axis for John Oswald”
11. Lucinda Williams & Friends – “Going Down The Road Feelin’ Bad”
12. Tunde Adebimpe, Lee Ranaldo & Friends – “Playing in the Band”
13. Local Natives – “Stella Blue”
14. Tal National – “Eyes of the World”
15. Bela Fleck ¬– “Help on the Way”
16. Orchestra Baobab – “Franklin’s Tower”
17. Luluc with Xylouris White – “Till the Morning Comes”
18. The Walkmen – “Ripple”
19. Richard Reed Parry with Caroline Shaw and Little Scream (featuring Garth Hudson) – “Brokedown Palace”
Sunshine (Vol. 3)
01. Real Estate – “Here Comes Sunshine”
02. Unknown Mortal Orchestra – “Shakedown Street”
03. Hiss Golden Messenger – “Brown-Eyed Women”
04. This Is the Kit – “Jack-A-Roe”
05. Daniel Rossen and Christopher Bear – “High Time”
06. The Lone Bellow & Friends – “Dire Wolf”
07. Winston Marshall, Kodiak Blue and Shura – “Althea”
08. Orchestra Baobab – “Clementine Jam”
09. Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks – “China Cat Sunflower -> I Know You Rider”
10. Bill Callahan – “Easy Wind”
11. Ira Kaplan & Friends – “Wharf Rat”
12. The Rileys – “Estimated Prophet”
13. Man Forever, So Percussion and Oneida – “Drums -> Space”
14. Fucked Up – “Cream Puff War”
15. The Flaming Lips – “Dark Star”
16. s t a r g a z e – “What’s Become of the Baby”
17. Vijay Iyer – “King Solomon’s Marbles”
18. Mina Tindle & Friends – “Rosemary”
19. Sam Amidon – “And We Bid You Goodnight”
20. The National with Bob Weir – “I Know You Rider (live)”
