Skip to content
Premieres

Watch Michael Cera and Islands Actually Cover Meredith Brooks’ ‘Bitch’

Michael Cera Islands Meredith Brooks Bitch Cover

Last week, Michael Cera appeared in a mockumentary celebrating Islands, whose fifth album Ski Mask is freshly out on Manque. This week, that band’s main brain Nick Thorburn returns the favor by appearing in the Arrested Development star’s “Bitch,” which, believe it or not, is a cracked cover of the 1997 single of the same name by Meredith Brooks. The chronology of the video exchange could be a little off — former Islands drummer Luc Laurent appears — but the clip is timeless in its own way.

Cera and Thorburn, who played in Mr. Heavenly together, pluck guitar and bass, respectively, while comedienne Jenny Slate (Parks & Recreation) sings lead. The very VHS-y looking footage finds the band (dubbed Molly the Daves) playing in a wood-paneled basement and hanging out at the park. After a lengthy spoken-word intro about the power of music, they play the first verse of the original, and the first line of the chorus, ending on the titular b-word without further elaboration.

The video cover arrives as another gift from JASH, the YouTube comedy network founded by Cera with Reggie Watts, Sarah Silverman, and Tim & Eric.