American Football recently posted a teaser with a clip of new music, and it turns out they weren’t teasing LP4 but they were teasing a very cool new project. To celebrate the 25th anniversary of their cult-classic, massively influential debut album (aka “LP1”), they’ve tapped a range of artists to record covers of all nine songs on the album, including Iron & Wine, Manchester Orchestra, Ethel Cain, Blondshell, Yvette Young (of Covet), John McEntire (of two of the bands that influenced American Football, Tortoise and The Sea and Cake), and more, for an album called American Football (Covers).
The first song released from the album is Iron & Wine’s cover of “Never Meant,” and I&W’s Sam Beam transforms the iconic album opener into a lovely acoustic song that sounds like it could fit on an early Iron & Wine record. It’s a genuinely cool cover that does more than just mimic its source material.
“When the first Iron & Wine record came out, it threaded the needle between Townes Van Zandt and Elliott Smith,” says American Football’s Steve Holmes. “It felt like if Nick Drake grew up with us listening to Fugazi before pivoting to making bedroom art folk. In other words, it was exactly what we would have been making if our first record came out when we were 28 instead of 22. Sam Beam is an incredible songwriter and interpreter of song, and it is beyond flattering that he would take the time to interpret one of ours.”
Sam, who recorded the song with producer Brad Cook (Waxahatchee, Bon Iver, etc), adds, “My neighbor Brad Cook and I have been circling each other hoping to work on something for a bit. When I was asked about this project, it felt like the perfect opportunity. Especially a song that I knew meant a lot to American Football’s fans. Honored to be part of this and hoping we did it justice.”
Iron & Wine’s cover comes with a video directed by Alec Basse and Max Moore, and you can watch that below. Along with (Covers), American Football are also putting out a remastered version of the album, and you can hear the remastered “Never Meant” below as well. Both come out on October 18 via Polyvinyl (pre-order).
American Football will also be performing LP1 in full on tour this fall, including NYC shows on October 26 and 27 at Warsaw with Hello Mary on night one and IAN SWEET on night two. All dates and all opening bands are listed below.
American Football (Covers) artwork:
LP1 25th Anniversary Edition artwork:
Tracklist
1. Iron & Wine – “Never Meant”
2. Blondshell – “The Summer Ends”
3. Novo Amor & Lowswimmer – “Honestly?”
4. Ethel Cain – “For Sure”
5. Yvette Young – “You Know I Should Be Leaving Soon”
6. Girl Ultra – “But the Regrets Are Killing Me”
7. M.A.G.S. – “I’ll See You When We’re Both Not So Emotional”
8. Manchester Orchestra – “Stay Home”
9. John McEntire – “The One With the Wurlitzer”
American Football — 2024 Tour Dates
09/11 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City #
09/12 – Glasgow, UK @ Barrowland Ballroom #
09/13 – Bristol, UK @ SWX #
09/14 – London, UK @ Roundhouse # [SOLD OUT]
09/27 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall % [SOLD OUT]
09/28 – Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall ^ [SOLD OUT]
10/11 – Las Vegas, NV @ Best Friends Forever Festival
10/12 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre ~ [SOLD OUT]
10/13 – Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre * [SOLD OUT]
10/24 – Washington, DC @ Howard Theatre !
10/25 – Washington, DC @ Howard Theatre + [SOLD OUT]
10/26 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw # [SOLD OUT]
10/27 – Brooklyn, NY @ Warsaw = [SOLD OUT]
11/16 – Mexico City, Mexico @ Corona Capital Festival
# w/ Hello Mary
% w/ BNNY
^ w/ Wishy
~ w/ Yvette Young
* w/ M.A.G.S.
! w/ Sweet Pill
+ w/ Aunt Katrina
= w/ IAN SWEET