The Brave and the Bold (2006)

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.