REVIEW -- DARK WAS THE NIGHT

Various Artists

Dark Was the Night

(4AD)

The latest compilation from the Red Hot Organization features an indie-rock who’s who: the New Pornographers, Spoon, Arcade Fire. You name them, they’re probably here. The 31 songs on the two discs range from inspired pairings (Feist with Ben Gibbard) to sleepy covers (Antony with the National’s Bryce Dessner drift through Dylan’s “I Was Young When I Left Home”). Some of it works – Conor Oberst covers his own “Lua” with Gillian Welch – while some of it bleeds into the background (is that you, Yeasayer?). The best cuts find the balance between reverence (Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings bow to Shuggie Otis) and flighty fun (My Morning Jacket’s horny “El Caporal”). And all of it will make you the hippest guy on the block. -- Michael Gallucci