Coheed And Cambria’s Claudio Sanchez has released a new covers album, including versions of songs by Taylor Swift and The Smiths.
The frontman has surprise-released the record, titled ‘Claudio Covers’, onto streaming services, with the album being labelled under the name ‘Coheed And Cambria’, despite the rest of the acclaimed progressive rock band apparently not being involved.
The eight-track release includes Sanchez’s renditions of Swift’s ‘Welcome To New York’ and ‘There Is A Light That Never Goes Out’ by Morrissey and Marr, as well as The Cure’s ‘Just Like Heaven’, Bastille’s ‘Pompeii’ and the Smashing Pumpkins’ ‘Stumbleine’.
Also includes are ‘Your Love’ by The Outfield, ‘Under The Milky War’ by The Church and ‘Sister Christian’ by Night Rangers. Stream the whole album below.
Speaking about his choice to include the Swift song, Sanchez has said: “My decision to include ‘Welcome to New York’ in this collection is two-sided. First, in 2014, my son was born in a Brooklyn Hospital (Welcome To NY, Atlas!)… and when he became aware of this Swifty classic we listened to it even more so than when it was initially released, and if you know my wife, that’s a lot.”
“The other side of my choice is…I love NY. When so many fled the city with uncertainty, my family made the decision to plant deeper roots here. There’s no place in the world like it and no place I’d rather spend my downtime. It’s a place that deserves all its tributes and songs. Maybe one day I’ll have one in me… until then, this will have to do.”
The album arrives ahead of the release of Coheed And Cambria’s upcoming 11th studio album ‘The Father Of Make Believe’, which is due out on March 14 and has been previewed by the singles ‘Searching For Tomorrow’ and ‘Blind Side Sonny’.
The record is set to be the third entry in their ‘Vaxis’ series of albums – first starting with 2018’s ‘Vaxis – Act I: The Unheavenly Creatures’ and continuing with 2022’s ‘Vaxis – Act II: A Window of the Waking Mind’.
The band will support the album release with a headline set at 2000Trees Festival at Cheltenham’s Upcote Farm in July 2025, alongside Kneecap, Million Dead, Taking Back Sunday and Alexisonfire, among others.
It takes place after their cruise ship festival S.S. Neverender, a five-day ride that will host a line-up of bands alongside Coheed, who will perform “two unique” sets. They are also set to perform at Tool In The Sand, a festival founded by prog-metal band Tool, in the Dominican Republic.
