“No no no no, see, their’s went ‘duh duh duh duh duh duh da do,’ and mine goes ‘duh duh duh duh duh duh da dee do,’” quoth Vanilla Ice in his frantic defense of the main riff in his name making hit. Xiu Xiu on the other hand doesn’t try to disguise the comparison, and opts for an all out cover of “Under Pressure,” the track that marked the first collaboration of David Bowie and Queen.

The result kicks ass in many ways. Off their latest album, Women As Lovers, “Under Pressure” doesn’t even clock in at 3 minutes, but sees its melody taken by three individuals, and rarely indulges in any specific groove for more than 10 seconds. Michael Gira (Swans, Angels of Light) adds a terrific flourish to Xiu Xiu’s already distinctive sound.

Think Akron/Family does Woody Gutherie.

Xiu Xiu- Under Pressure
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-Ben

photo via flickr user, ultramarineblue.