Kevin Bronson on July 25th, 2011

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The Los Angeles underground has always been a sprawling, gnarly place, and a new collection titled “Beat L.A.” goes where few covers albums have gone before. The project – from Narnack Records and Greatmind Records – is a charity effort benefiting Doctors Without Borders and that organization’s relief efforts in earthquake-torn Haiti. The compilation (out Aug. 2) sees artists from L.A.’s indie present covering songs from L.A.’s punk past, and with some remarkable results, especially Devon Williams’ “Yellow Pills” (20/20), Imaad Wasif’s “Go Insane” (the Doors), Josh Klinghoffer’s “Anymore” (Thelonious Monster), Night Horse’s “Lie Beg Borrow and Steal” (the Plimsouls) and Anglos’ [now known as Risers] “Days of Wine and Roses” (Dream Syndicate). Brother Reade, Bobb Bruno of Best Coast, Crystal Antlers and Angus Khan also appear, and tracks from X, the Minutemen, the Gun Club, the Go-Go’s and the Germs are among those getting treatments. Great idea, for a great cause.

||| Download: No Age, “Male Masturbation” (Urinals cover)

||| Also: Crystal Antlers, “I Slept in an Arcade” (Black Randy & the Metrosquad cover), via Pitchfork

||| See: After the jump, the full tracklisting for the compilation:

Beat L.A.

1. Jarret Silberman – “I Hear Your Heart Singing” / The Gun Club
2. Rats – “The Unheard Music” / X
3. Modern Memory – “Brave Captain” / Firehose
4. Brother Reade – “Do You Want New Wave Or Do You Want The Truth?” / Minutemen
5. Imaad Wasif – “Go Insane” / The Doors
6. Bobb Bruno – “Scratch Out The Sky” / Distorted Pony
7. Slang Chickens – “Romeo’s Distress” / Christian Death
8. Nathaniel Eras – “Gidget Goes To Hell” / Suburban Lawns
9. Boom Bip (w/ Buck 65) – “Lost Weekend” / Wall of Voodoo
10. Microphonies – “We Got The Beat” / The Go-Gos
11. Devon Williams – “Yellow Pills” / 20/20
12. Josh Klinghoffer – “Anymore” / Thelonious Monster
13. Crystal Antlers – “I Slept In An Arcade” / Black Randy & Metrosquad
14. No Age – “Male Masturbation” / The Urinals
15. Geisha Girls – “Dream Hits II” / 45 Grave
16. Nonon – “White Girl” / X
17. Signals – “Richie Dagger’s Crime” / The Germs
18. Lords Of Altamont – “Knock Knock” / The Humane Society
19. Night Horse – “Lie Beg Borrow and Steal” / The Plimsouls
20. Angus Khan – “Rock Fight” / Cheech & Chong
21. Anglos – “Days of Wine and Roses” / Dream Syndicate
22. Lucky Dragons – “Alien Point Of View” / Nervous Gender