Beck, Lips, Waits Cover Daniel Johnston

Pairing the idiosyncratic talents of Beck, Tom Waits, Bright Eyes and the Flaming Lips with the legendary songwriting of Daniel Johnston, The Late, Great Daniel Johnston: Discovered Covered is a tribute album — due out Sept. 21 on Gammon Records — that should introduce the cult singer/songwriter to a new generation.

The album will also feature renditions of Johnston's songs by Death Cab for Cutie, Eels, TV on the Radio, Sparklehorse, Mercury Rev, Vic Chestmutt, Clem Snide, and Gordon Gano of the Violent Femmes, among others. In addition to a CD of covers, there will be a second CD with the original versions of all the songs, performed by Johnston and drawn from his extensive catalogue.

Discovered Covered is co-produced by Mark Linkous (of Sparklehorse), who produced Johnston's most recent album, Fear Yourself, and Gammon Records' Jordan Trachtenberg (Gammon released Fear Yourself). The duo spent over two years putting the project together.

Johnston, an outsider who has long battled a bipolar disorder, combines a childlike singing style with crude recording. Considered one of the forefathers of lo-fi music-making, Johnston influenced a number of artists in the alt-rock underground during the '80s and '90s, including Kurt Cobain, who often sported a Johnston T-shirt. His recordings are marked by a heart-on-his-sleeve, nothing-to-hide honesty.

Due to his struggle with both mental illness and the economics of being an underground musician, Johnston, now in his early 40s, has not been able to move out of his parents' home. Linkous and Trachtenberg are earmarking a portion of profits from sales of the compilation toward helping Johnston get a place of his own.

The track listing: 1. Teenage Fanclub with Jad Fair, "My Life Is Starting Over Again"; 2. Clem Snide, "Grievence"; 3. Gordon Gano, "Impossible Love"; 4. Eels, "Living Life"; 5. TV on the Radio, "Walking the Cow"; 6. The Rabbit, "Good Morning You"; 7. Calvin Johnson, "Sorry Entertainer"; 8. Bright Eyes, "Devil Town"; 9. Death Cab for Cutie, "Dream Scream"; 10. Beck, "Things Last a Long Time"; 11. Sparklehorse with the Flaming Lips, "Go"; 12. Mercury Rev, "Blue Cloud"; 13. Thistle, "Love Not Dead"; 14. Vic Chesnutt, "Like a Monkey in the Zoo"; 15. Starlight Mints, "Dead Lovers Twisted Heart." — Jenny Tatone [Tuesday, June 22, 2004]