Since 1989, the Red Hot Organization has released 20 diverse
compilations—appealing to fans of everything from mainstream to jazz
and Latino music—benefiting AIDS awareness and funding around the
world. For indie-rock fans, though, not since 1993’s No
Alternative (Nirvana, Pavement and Sonic Youth) and 1995’s Red,
Hot and Bothered (Built to Spill, Folk Implosion, Grifters) has
there been such a magnificent collection of the who’s-who darlings of
the “underground is now upper-ground” music scene. Spoon, Arcade Fire,
Beirut, Iron & Wine, Grizzly Bear, Belle & Sebastian’s Stuart
Murdoch…hell, the whole list is too crazy to itemize here. First up
is Feist, with Ben Gibbard, singing a lovely, haunting Vashti Bunyan
track called “Train Song,” on which Feist sounds so unFeist-like, it’s
eerie. The Books and José González take Nick Drake’s
“Cello Song” to the extremes of mournful beauty. So, too, does Antony
Hegarty on a tender interpretation of Dylan’s “I was Young When I Left
Home” with Bryce Dessner (of The National). “Big Red Machine” contrasts
(National vocalist) Aaron Dessner’s deep baritone and Justin Vernon’s
falsetto, overtop a lush string arrangement and a droning piano chord.
To borrow a sports cliche, the artists brought their A-game. There
really isn’t a weak track on this two-CD, 31-track offering. Great
music. Great cause.
This article appears in Feb 26 – Mar 4, 2009.