Pitchfork

Well, do they have faith, or don't they? Tapes 'n Tapes tell Daytrotter that their new song "George Michael", from Loon follow-up Walk It Off, is no tribute to the Wham! half. Still, frontman Josh Grier did tell Pitchfork's Paul Thompson the song got its name because he once thought the guitar part "kind of sounded like" the opening strums from Michael's "Faith". And hey, it kind of does, rhythmically anyway, but this "George Michael" is more lonesome moper than flashy tabloid fodder. Which is odd, considering the song does contain the line, "When you come, and your body's wet." ("In a totally unique way, it's great. You're so pretty," a character played by fellow George Michael guy Michael Cera might add.) The live version strips away the horns and downplays some of the Pavement-scrawled guitar of its studio counterpart. The rest of Tapes 'n Tapes' Daytrotter session, including three other Walk It Off songs, can be heard here.

MP3/Stream:> Tapes 'n Tapes: "George Michael" (Daytrotter Session)
[original track from Walk It Off; due 04/08/08 on XL]