of Montreal covers Prince, gets covered.

For their tribute album to Prince's Purple Rain, Spin got 9 current artists to cover each one of the original songs. of Montreal got (or chose) Computer Blue (live version downloadable from the Sasquatch! set).
The great thing about "Purplish Rain" is that it is free for Spin readers and subscribers (and people with no qualms about cheating) on the magazine's website right now.
If you want to compare it to virtually every cover the band has ever played, point your compasses to You Ain't No Picasso, where Matt has been building a comprehensive archive of oM covers. Hats off!

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The Vitamin String Quartet recorded an orchestral version of Everyday Feels Like Sunday on their new compilation. The 15-track album comprises The New Pornographers' Bleeding Heart Show, Animal Collective's Banshee Beat, among other indie favorites. The result is an ear-pleasing album that could be just the job when you're inviting the in-laws over for lunch. Buy it from Vitamin Records.

of Montreal Picks Lykke Li

The Spanish blog/site Buffet Libre asked some of their favorite artists to submit a favorite track for their "Verbena Selected 3: The Aftershow Party" mp3 compilation, and of Montreal was among those asked. Don't know which of the gang picked Lykke Li, I'm guessing Jamey because of the Swedish connection, although she has gotten some early US attention. She was hailed as an up-and-comer last year by Stereogum and Brooklyn Vegan on the strength of the "Little Bit" EP. Her debut LP was just released here in the States on May 6, produced by Bjorn Yttling of Peter, Bjorn, and John (she also has sung back-up for them live on "Young Folks"). Here's two versions of "Little Bit", the studio and then live from SXSW this year, featuring accordian and glockenspiel (apparently she uses all live instruments in her shows)

Lykke Li "Little Bit"

Lykke Li "Little Bit" (SXSW '08)

The rest of the bands choosing songs for this comp are probably mostly familiar to you (Raveonettes, Go! Team), head over to Buffet Libre (scroll down, they don't have links for individual posts) and check out who the bands are and what they picked, and download the whole compilation (the link is also here).

Thanks to Pitchfork for the link.

You can download the rest of Lykke Li's SXSW set from the Lullabyes blog (which is loaded with a ton of other indie shows for download, too)

"Feminine Effects" Studio Version, More Video

Pitchfork is reporting on a new 2-CD 1DVD compilation called The Green Owl Comp: A Benefit for the Energy Action Coalition, which will feature of Montreal's "Feminine Effects". This song has only appeared live so far, so this version will be new to all of us. LINK

Also, if you haven't checked in at the official of Montreal blog, the band themselves were kind enough to set up their own video channel at Vimeo, check it out.

New acoustic EP! + Big Oil reissue

of Montreal have released a new four-track EP from an acoustic session they did earlier this year called the "Sony Connect Set". It features Kevin and B.P. playing two tracks from "Hissing Fauna" ( "Heimdalsgate Like a Promethean Curse" and "We Were Born the Mutants Again With Leafling") and two covers, Neil Young's "Harvest Moon" (which of Montreal have been playing on tour) and Love Is All's "Make Out, Fall Out, Make Up". Here is an excerpt from the "Harvest Moon" cover:

of Montreal "Harvest Moon" (edit)

You can get the new EP from Sony, although you do have to register for their new Connect Music Service. Pitchfork, which is streaming the Love Is All cover with this article, says it is / will be also available from Polyvinyl, but no listing as of yet there.

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Polyvinyl does, however, have the reissue of the "If He Is Protecting Our Nation Then Who Will Protext Big Oil???" compilation, originally put out by Track and Field in the UK and sold as a tour-CD, and it's either now available (as Polyvinyl's front page says), or will be by the 23rd of this month (as the album page says). On CD only, sorry vinyl hounds. Tracklist is:

1. "My What a Strange Day With a Swede"
2. "An Ill-Treated Hiccup"
3. "Cast in the Haze (Been There Four Days)"
4. "Mimi Merlot Beatnik Version"
5. "Girl From NYC (Named Julia)"
6. "Inside a Room Full of Treasures a Black Pygmy Horse's Head Pops Up Like a Periscope"
7. "Charlie and Freddy"
8. "There Is Nothing Wrong With Hating Rock Critics"
9. "Maple Licorice"
10. "Barely Asian at the Beefcake Horizon"
11. "Spooky Spider Chandelier"
12. "Friends of Mine" (The Zombies Cover)
13. "Christmas Isn't Safe for Animals"

(note: above mp3 ripped from a vinyl 7", not quite as nice as the crystal-clear version found on "...Big Oil".) Buy it now.

For The Kids track

of Montreal have contributed a track to the third volume of the "For the Kids" series, it is basically a reworked version of of Montreal's "The Actor's Opprobrium" (Sunlandic Twins Bonus EP):

http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/44740-of-montreal-blitzen-mates-of-state-on-kiddie-comp

You could probably find this pretty easily.