The folks at Morphius Records in Baltimore, Maryland have put together a fab compilation of David Bowie covers from Baltimore bands. The set, titled Baltimore Does Bowie, is out now and the proceeds are going to The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins University. For every sale of this compilation on vinyl, $6.00 will be donated to the Center.
The compilation features 19 diverse Baltimore-based bands doing covers of David Bowie classics. From relatively straightforward renditions, like the affecting run at "Soul Love" from Surf Harp, and on to more wholesale re-inventions of Bowie classics, like the reggae-tinged version of "Let's Dance" from The Scotch Bonnets, the selections re-affirm not only the durability of Bowie's compositions but the variety of talent in the current Baltimore rock scene. From the rough "The Pretty Things Are Going To Hell" from The Jennifers, and on to the fine cover of "Five Years" from Amiben Blackout, what's here is uniformly interesting, if not invigorating. While some bands have more success than others, the majority of acts here do well by Bowie's considerable legacy, even the bold rapper re-imaginings, the sort of re-inventions of the material that Bowie himself would have appreciated in theory.
For fans of D.C. rock, especially Dot Dash, there are 2 other things to note: Hunter Bennett of Dot Dash is on the "Panic In Detroit" cover from Octopus, a fairly hard glam rendition, while Dot Dash drummer Danny Ingram and a few other guys from radioblue as King Mixer tackle one of Bowie's best compositions with a lively stab at "Heroes" that imagines the song as a straight alt-rock charger.
If you want to support a worthy cause, please check out this compilation and buy it on the format of your choice via the link below.