The Walkmen

Sometime in 1974, John Lennon and acclaimed singer/songwriter Harry Nilsson tore through L.A. on a month-long bender. "The Lost Weekend," as it came to be known, resulted in Pussy Cats, a rambling album of originals and covers sung by Nilsson and produced by Lennon (with Nilsson shredding a vocal chord during recording). Cut to '06, when raggedy NYC rockers the Walkmen take on Pussy Cats in all its debauched glory. Few other modern rock bands have both the grit and the chops to pull this off, but in their hands it's both a fascinating history lesson and one hell of a ride.