The first group you’d think of covering enigmatic R&B savant Frank Ocean probably isn’t the alt-folk duo Penny & Sparrow. However, they do just that in the new live performance video we’re premiering today, covering the Blonde standout “White Ferrari.” Ocean’s second album of 2016 was a major inspiration for the duo when recording their most recent LP Finch, which was released in August of this year.
In the cover of the experimental R&B song, Andy Baxter and Kyle Jahnke strip the track down to its barest elements. Hushed harmonized vocals and a simply strummed acoustic guitar guide the song through its various melodic twists and turns. Hailing from Austin, TX, the duo add a subtle Texas twang to the vocals, another major differentiation from its source material.
“For the past 2 years, the album we have listened to more than any other is Blonde.” said the band in a statement about the cover. “It’s an unfair record, to be honest. It showcases an artist that somehow manages to do everything right. From vocal quality, to his bars, to who he features and how all the way down to lyrical depth and nuanced production. Frank Ocean could quit music now and still be a master in our book. It’s because of this, and the countless hours we’ve spent listening to him, that we chose to cover ‘White Ferrari.’ This is the second of three live sessions we made with our friends at Southbound Creative. It was roughly 113 degrees in the empty factory we recorded in and we were honored, as always, to sweat it out with our buddies Sam and Noah from SouthBound. We hope you enjoy the video as much as we enjoyed singing this Frank Ocean tune.”
The duo have been touring throughout the fall. They still have a few more dates left in 2019 for those that are in the southwest or western United States.
Penny & Sparrow 2019 Tour Dates
11/05 – Phoenix, AZ – Modern Instrument Museum
11/06 – San Diego, CA – Belly Up
11/08 – Los Angeles, CA – Teragram Ballroom
11/10 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall
11/12 – Portland, OR – Aladdin Theatre
11/13 – Seattle, WA – Neptune Theater
11/15 – Salt Lake City, UT – State Room
11/16 – Denver, CO – Gothic Theatre
11/17 – Fort Collins, CO – Armory
11/20 – Oklahoma City, OK – Tower Theatre
11/21 – Lubbock, TX – Cactus Theater
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