Lindsey Jordan, the stellar songwriter who performs under the name Snail Mail, made her acting debut in the recently released arthouse horror flick I Saw the TV Glow. And, hey, as long as she’s around, why not ask her to make a contribution to the soundtrack, too? Snail Mail has had a cover of the Smashing Pumpkins’ nineteen-nineties alternative hit “Tonight, Tonight” in the live repertoire for a while, since at least the tour in support of the fantastic 2021 album Valentine. Given that the film is set in 1996, Snail Mail taking a proper studio pass at the tune makes all the sense in the world.

The “Tonight, Tonight” cover makes only a brief appearance in the film, and it was left off the initial soundtrack release (which is filled with indie stars such as Caroline Polachek and Jay Som). It finally saw the light of broad media availability this week, and it’s marvelous. Jordan and her collaborators keep the majesty and emotional flourish of the song while naturally tamping down the arch pretension that was Billy Corgan’s speciality circa Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness (and arguably ever since). The track achieves what all the best covers do; it stands as its own fine work and simultaneously invites reappraisal of all the elements that make the original special in the first place.

The release of the I Saw the TV Glow soundtrack as a double album on record, which includes the Snail Mail cover of “Tonight, Tonight,” is scheduled for release in September.