Stephen Wilson Jr. - Blankets EP (2025) [Hi-Res]

Stephen Wilson Jr. covers a handful of his favorite songs on this cleverly titled EP, which follows the singer-songwriter’s equally eclectic double debut album søn of dad. The four-pack opens with a dark, brooding cover of the Nirvana song “Something in the Way,” with Wilson’s booming voice capturing the subtle inflections and tonal shifts that made Kurt Cobain’s original performance so captivating. Wilson continues digging through his hard-rock influences with a cover of Temple of the Dog’s “Hunger Strike,” another classic grunge song that, in Wilson’s hands, pays soulful tribute to Eddie Vedder and the late Chris Cornell, who duetted on the original track. The Postal Service’s “Clark Gable” jumps forward a decade, as Wilson puts his spin on the 2003 indie-pop classic by turning it into an arena rocker with a growling vocal and sludgy production. Wilson closes the project with a faithful, harmony-rich take on the beloved Smashing Pumpkins smash “Tonight, Tonight,” complete with strings and an intricate arrangement.