Not long after we praised Charleston, SC duo Shovels & Rope last fall, Jack White caught wind of Cary Ann Hearst and Michael Trent’s excellent debut as a group, inviting them to open for his solo shows and into his Nashville HQ for a recording session. The result — a version of Bruce Springsteen’s cassette-tracked Nebraska tune “Johnny 99” and the new Tom Waits title track, “Bad As Me” — arrives April 2nd via Third Man Records. Hear their ramshackle vision of the Boss above and watch the pair trade instruments live for the Waits cut earlier this month below.
“Bad As Me” (Live in London)
For a next step into their O’ Be Joyful record, this unplugged rendition of “Lay Low” remains a go-to around here.