Ducks LTD. - "Invitation" (Feelies Cover)

You have to be more than a casual fan of The Feelies to be familiar with their song “Invitation.” That’s not meant to be a smug comment. Rather, the song appears on their 1991 album Time For A Witness, which along with their 1988 record, Only Life, isn’t available on streaming platforms, and was long out of print until Bar None Records reissued it in 2015. So, you essentially have to own a physical copy of the record or seek the video out on YouTube to hear it. 

Those who put in the effort to hear “Invitation” reap huge rewards. In my opinion, it represents some of the Feelies’ finest songwriting, as it coalesces all of their strengths into a blissful three minutes. The twin guitar playing of Glenn Mercer and Bill Million is pristine: Mercer’s playing is winding and pointed, while Million’s is steady and stoic. Their playing, along with their world-class rhythm section of Brenda Sauter on bass, Stan Demeski on drums, and Dave Weckerman on auxiliary percussion, is world-building. Here, New Jersey is the world. It’s a song about wandering through suburban New Jersey in search of good company, while metaphorically contemplating the challenges that life can throw at you. Their instrumentation breathes life into the lyrics, helping to transport the listener to a summer evening in the Garden State.

Given my affinity for the original, I was ecstatic to learn that Toronto’s Ducks LTD. shared a cover of “Invitation” earlier this month. Their version does the original justice, capturing a similar summer evening warmth. The members of The Feelies participate in an extended family of New Jersey bands that also includes The Willies, Yung Wu, The Trypes, and more. Consistent with that familial spirit, Ducks LTD. tapped Julia Steiner of Ratboys and Mo Troper to add some new vocal elements. Paul Erlichman, Kurt Marble, and Katie Ryan contributed to the instrumentals. They get bonus points for mirroring The Feelies’ universe revolving-door ethos.

Stream the track below.

Check out the rest of the band’s discography via Bandcamp or on your streaming platform of choice. Keep up with Ducks LTD. by following them on Instagram.