The Brave and the Bold

Radically reinventing classic rock nuggets like Bruce Springsteen’s ”Thunder Road” and Elton John’s ”Daniel” into creaky, cranky soundscapes, cerebral Chicago instrumentalists Tortoise and indie-rock eccentric Will Oldham (a.k.a. Bonnie ?Prince? Billy) team up on The Brave and the Bold, an intriguing disc of covers. Tackling varied material — from the aforementioned dad-rock faves to Richard Thompson’s epic ”Calvary Cross” to Devo’s herky-jerky ”That’s Pep!” — the pair infuse all their interpretations with an aura of foreboding, especially on ”Daniel,” which turns Elton’s bittersweet, sun-kissed song into a beautifully eerie, creeping ballad.