2011 in Review: Best Cover Song

Local rockers Arbouretum specialize in sprawling, head-bobbing, and mind-melding music that can be devastatingly heavy, thanks to Dave Heumann's world-weary vocals and atmospheric/statospheric guitar playing. Those qualities, which are off-putting to some listeners, made Arbouretum's cover of Jimmy Webb's "The Highwayman" (off The Gathering CD) such a profound success. Webb's tune is grand in scope—as it stretches into the past, rockets into the future, and deals with death and rebirth—making it a perfect match for the sweep of Arbouretum's mythic sound. The folks at Pitchfork chided the band for its "undimmed aching sincerity," but that totally missed the point. The band should be lauded for reinventing an American classic and infusing it with just the right amounts of grit and grace.