Freeload: Thursday Doesn’t Even Start (Until You Listen To Some Cure Covers)

story THE FADER

The Cure’s 13th album is out this September, and the eyeliner kings have devised a marketing campaign to release a new single on the 13th of each month until the record drops; a video just came out this week for the latest addition. However, the best (or at least the most interesting) new Cure-related music of the moment comes in the form of two gleefully bizarre tributes. First up is Scarlett Johansson’s slooow version of “Boys Don’t Cry” from her new iTunes live session, which swaps the original’s jerky BPMs for Radiohead guitars and marble mouth. Second is “Lowridin” by Far East Movement, where a trio of AZN Akons turn the Cure’s “Lovesong” into auto-tuned pop rap. The song has become an unlikely west coast radio hit, and gets the win (by wide margin!) over ScarJo because these guys understand Robert Smith’s whole formula from jump: sad songs are supposed to sound happy.

Download: Scarlett Johansson, “Boys Don’t Cry”

Download: Far East Movement “Lowridin”