As side projects go, Chappaquiddick Skyline had a fair amount of history to it—aside from being Joe Pernice’s home away from the equally sublime (and higher-profile) Pernice Brothers, the Skyline was also home to the last remnants of Halifax group and Sloan associates Jale. After the band’s dissolution, Jennifer Pierce, Laura Stein and Mike Belitsky continued to tour under the Vees moniker, but after a single EP the Vees, too, disappeared from view. The trio resurfaced on this album as Pernice’s backing band, adjusting their style to fit Pernice’s vision and largely abandoning the post-grunge guitar pop of earlier days.

“Leave Me Alone” is one of the few upbeat tracks on the self-titled album, though even then it’s a fairly subdued song, all restrained buildup and no glorious release. While the same melancholy tinge of the original New Order version remains, the Pernice-helmed version is much more intimate, with a resigned weariness replacing some of the defiance of the original. It also lacks some of the brilliant beauty of his Pernice Brothers work, stripping away the harmonies and complex arrangements of his main project. It’s a nuanced version, played and sung with conviction.