Dave Hause teams up with Laura Stevenson to cover Patty Griffin’s “When It Don’t Come Easy”

Philly-born punk troubadour Dave Hause recently announced the upcoming release of two twin EPs, titled Patty and Paddy, both out October 23rd. Each EP pays homage to its namesake: Patty will feature covers of Patty Griffin tracks, while Paddy will reimagine songs by Patrick “Paddy” Costello of Dillinger Four. The EPs will also feature a host of collaborators, including Brian Fallon, Will Hoge, Jake Blount, Lilly Hiatt, Bartees Strange, and, most recently, Laura Stevenson.

“With the pandemic rolling in and all of our touring plans cancelled, it seemed like a great time to try some home recording, and to do this project that I’ve always wanted to try.,” Hause said. Inspired by other cover albums, including Bruce Springsteen’sThe Seeger Sessions, Hause decided to pay tribute to “two of [his] favorite songwriters on Earth.”

The latest single–out today–from the Patty EP shows Hause, assisted by Stevenson, covering Griffin’s “When It Don’t Come Easy.” Hause and Stevenson both used their experiences as parents to guide their take on the track: according to Hause, the two singers “spent 90% of [their] correspondence chattering about raising little kids and about 10% on music.” This approach shines through in the barebones track, where Hause and Stevenson duet over a single electric guitar. Synths and percussion wash into the track, too, but the relatively sparse instrumentation provides a gorgeous setting for the two singers.

Check out Dave Hause’s cover of Patty Griffin’s “When It Don’t Come Easy (feat. Lauren Stevenson)” below. Pre-order Paddy and Patty, out October 23rd.