Metric, "Wanderlust" (feat. Lou Reed) & Gorillaz, "Some Kind of Nature" (feat. Lou Reed)

I think one of the interesting things about Lou Reed is that, in recent years, he just seemed to turn up wherever he felt like. His list of guest appearances includes Gorillaz, Killers, Bruce Hornsby, Kevin Hearn (of BNL) and this neat track with Metric. I like to think he just wandered the countryside, visiting recording studios, popping in to see if anyone wanted to collaborate. And while this may have led to the much-disdained Lulu album with Metallica, it was still an interesting way to close out one's career.

Cover: Gorillaz, "Crystalised"

A good cover reveals the compositional strength of one artist and the performance strength of another. Already fairly minimalistic, "Crystalised" by the XX becomes under Damon Albarn's touch an even lonelier, more haunting plea, like something Danny Elfman would write for a suicide scene. Albarn's instruments are lighter than the XX's, but his vocals are also weightier, so he pushes further it in both directions.