Built to Spill’s cover band side project, Boise Cover Band, have announced that their popular Unoriginal Artists LP will be released digitally and on vinyl on March 19, 2021. Along with the album announcement, Built to Spill have shared their Boise Cover Band rendition of David Bowie’s “Ashes To Ashes.” The album has been a widely bootlegged tour-only CD since 2002, and remains as the only album Built to Spill has released as the Boise Cover Band.

The Boise Cover Band version of “Ashes To Ashes” includes twining guitars and whistling tunes, Dough Martsch’s vocals mimicking the highs and lows found in Bowie’s original lyrics. The track dances, each instrument laying its own soothing tune to create more heartfelt emotions.

Boise Cover Band brings a softer, more soothing tone to their version of “Ashes To Ashes.” Bowie’s version of the track incorporates sparkling pop elements, synths highlighting the darker chorus.Boise Cover Band create a softer sound while continuing to follow the original, Martsch’s vocals calling out in more emotional tones than Bowie’s.

Boise Cover Band first formed in 2002, while Built to Spill had been on hiatus. Martsch invited friends John Mullin, Ian Waters, Scott Schmaljohn and Ned Evett to play an improve jam band that soon turned into a cover band. The project only lasted a few months, and recorded a cover album during their short period, with Built to Spill producer Phil Ek engineering the project. Unoriginal Artists had never been officially released, and was instead only available via a CD that was sold at a few shows, with many of the tracks eventually becoming bootlegs.

Built to Spill released their most recent album, Built to Spill Plays The Songs of Daniel Johnston last June. The album, made exclusively of Daniel Johnston covers, included a cover of “Bloody Rainbow.”

Unoriginal Artists tracklist:

1. “Loving Pauper” (Dobby Dobson)
2. “Ashes To Ashes” (David Bowie)
3. “I Love You More” (Lee Williams and the Cymbals)
4. “Strange” (The Delusions)
5. “Back On The Chain Gang” (The Pretenders)
6. “I’m Glad” (Captain Beefheart and His Magic Band)
7. “Te Magia Sto Pegadi” (Georgios Trakis)

Photo credit: Owen Ela