La Dispute have taken a crack at Nirvana's dark and foreboding classic 'Polly' for a new tribute record. Titled Whatever Nevermind, this second tribute to the Seattle grunge legends from, label, Robotic Empire and features different bands covering one track from Nevermind.
The sparse nature of the original makes a La Dispute version of 'Polly' an inviting prospect given the band's ability to switch from soft and poignant spoken word to chaotic, distorted, rock. The twist here is that the resulting cover is a combination of both. Vocally it's distant, the words read like a poem, almost deadpan but with just enough passion to matter. Almost as if uttered by someone who's life is slowly ebbing away from them. It's dramatic and almost hard to listen to.
The instrumental, on the other hand, builds upon Cobain's original foundations, adding some anxious flair that clashes with Jordan Dreyer's sequestered vocal. Distorted, offbeat and, at times, janging, it comes to life in fits and starts, reaching a limp crescendo at it's tail end. All of which is in keeping with the tone and subject matter.
No, it's not groundbreaking. It is, however, a striking and original rendition of a classic song and definitely not what I expected. You can listen to the track below.
La Dispute are hitting the UK for two special shows at the end of May, including a co-headline show at Koko with Fucked Up. See below for details:
- 25/05 - Leeds at The Brudenell Social Club
- 26/05 - London (Camden) at KOKO [co-headline show with Fucked Up]
