Came across this interview/cover of the Peter Gabriel song by Stephin Merritt. Part of a project of covers. Odd. Not One of Us. Interesting to hear Stephin’s comments.

Seriously?! Already on Letterman?

This album has grown on my ears like a fungus. So good, but so not my style. Something about Beach House harkens back to Red House Painters for me. No idea why.

I give in. This is good. (via Tug3000, twice)

Love them or hate them, Vampire Weekend know how to polarize and confuse an audience. The band’s new video for “Giving Up the Gun” features Joe Jonas, Lil John, Jake Gyllenhaal, and RZA. The WTF-iness of it all is a spectacle in and of itself, but the video is nothing if not amusing. Surreal is probably a more apt description. But it’s beautifully shot and the bizarro cast gives great performances. I’m not sure about Ezra Koenig’s headband, though.

Universal Studios is finally moving forward on the Kurt Cobain biopic with Oren Moverman set to direct and supervise the screenplay. Having written the screenplay for Denis Johnson’s novel-turned-film Jesus’ Son and having directed last year’s critically lauded The Messenger, Moverman has a level of credibility that shows that Universal is at least taking this somewhat seriously. These rock star biopics can cheese up in a hurry, turning into laughably embarrassing caricatures of everyone and everything portrayed. Val Kilmer’s turn as Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone’s The Doors springs to mind. But, hopefully, Anton Corbijn’s respectful and artful handling of the Ian Curtis story in his film Control will set the standard from which this Cobain project can learn. Casting will also be the sink-or-swim variable here, as the actor chosen will actually sing the Nirvana songs heard in the film, which will be no small feat. [via Rock Daily]

After a somewhat acrimoniously worded letter of departure some 14 years ago, Alan Wilder has returned to Depeche Mode for a one-off show at London’s Royal Albert Hall benefiting the Teenage Cancer Trust. The keyboardist and occasional drummer (and probably the most natural musician of the group) took to the stage to play piano on the Martin Gore-penned classic “Somebody.” Wilder told NME that singer Dave Gahan reached out to him and assured him that the entire band was welcoming of the idea. A fan captured the reunion on his phone, so the quality is somewhat lacking:

There is no word on any future plans for the quartet to work together again. The last album the band completed as a foursome was 1993’s Songs of Faith and Devotion.