This week saw the release of I'll Be Your Mirror: A Tribute to the Velvet Underground & Nico. It's the final project from the legendary producer Hal Willner who died last year of COVID-19. Willner had deep connections to the New York City musical avant-garde, having collaborated with the likes of Lou Reed, William S. Burroughs, Laurie Anderson, Allen Ginsberg, and John Zorn. So far, my favorite track on I'll Be Your Mirror is Thurston Moore and Bobby Gillespie's gorgeous version of "Heroin." It's really a perfect fit given that Moore and Sonic Youth are direct descendants of the 1960s-1970s downtown New York City experimental at scene that birthed the Velvets.
The compilation also includes covers by Iggy Pop, St. Vincent, Sharon Van Etten, Matt Berninger, and Kurt Vile.
image: Jtcoutts (CC BY-SA 4.0)
