The Felice Brothers, a New York-based outfit known for busking in subway tunnels more than two decades ago, are now the focus of a dedicated tribute LP. Brandy Schultz, a longtime supporter of the band and the wife of Lumineers frontman Wesley Schultz, assembled the collection titled Felice County Fair, inviting a roster of artists to deliver covers of the Felice Brothers, including Brandon Flowers, Dawes, Old Crow Medicine Show, Deer Tick, Nathaniel Rateliff, and Bebe Stockwell.
Among the collaborators, Bright Eyes contribute a rendition of the 2008 track “Wonderful Life.” Conor Oberst, who previously joined the Felice Brothers to cover Tom Petty at a 2017 festival, offers a spare, tremulous version that makes the song feel as though it originated with Bright Eyes. In a press release, Oberst notes that the recording checks all the emotional and artistic boxes he seeks in great music—poetry, soul, and craft—feeling entirely authentic. He expresses a wish for the world to hear them and hopes listeners will experience the same transformative impact he has found in their art.
The Lumineers are likewise part of the tribute, delivering a reverent rendering of 2019’s “The Kid.” Wesley Schultz recalls that, when he and Brandy first began dating, they each made mixtapes for one another and both included Felice Brothers on their lists; it was that moment that convinced him she was someone special, and much of their early relationship grew from listening to the Felice Brothers. Check out the Bright Eyes and Lumineers’ contributions below.
Felice County Fair is out 10/16 on Free Flight Records/Sun Mountain Records. Pre-order it here.
