Since The New Standards cover college radio/indie-rock songs I can hope to assume that their name refers to the type of songs these guys play. The New Standards are composed of ex-members of different luminary Minneapolis bands, one of which being Trip Shakespeare, a band I am particularly fond. (That reminds me, I need to get me mitts on that first album…the one with ‘Toolmaster of Brainard’, like stat.) The New Standards played songs from the likes of Elvis Costello and The Replacements acoustically with stand-up base, vibraphone, and piano giving the renditions a decided cabaret bent. I suspect, since these guys are from Minneapolis and along with the cabaret vibe, I am willing to venture that the members of The New Standards hatched this idea while sitting around at downtown Minneapolis’s Nye’s Polonaise piano bar.
This is a cover of The Postal Service’s “Such Great Heights”. Which reminds me, why the devil have The Postal Service not put out another record?
[audio: http://www.thesoundofindie.com/archive/2009/20090226/TNS-SuchGreatHeights.mp3|titles=Such Great Heights (Live)|artists=The New Standards]Download: The New Standards – Such Great Heights (Live)
I have never heard of any of the bands you mentioned, but now that I have heard that mp3, I’d love to find out more 🙂