--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(#20) "Overkill (Men at Work Cover)" by Colin Hay
Ok, this one isn't so much a cover since Scottish singer-songwriter Colin Hay was the former vocalist of the pop-rock band Men at Work. The band formed in Austrailia in 1979 and is best known for their homage to the homeland "Down Under." In 1986, the band broke up and Colin Hay pursued a successful solo carrer. He's been known to re-record songs he composed himself (like "Overkill") and some of these recordings find their way into popular programming (like Scrubs).
Listen to the cover (studio) here.
Listen to the original here.
(#19) "Take It Easy (Jackson Browne Cover)" by The Eagles
Again, the "cover status" of this song is questionable. In 1971, Jackson Browne wrote an incomplete version of "Take It Easy" which he showed to Glenn Frey. Frey liked the song and asked if his rock band, the newly-formed Eagles, could use it on their debut album. Browne agreed and Frey completed the second verse, releasing "Take It Easy" as the band's first single and skyrocketing them into stardom. Browne would later record the song in his 1973 album For Everyman.
Listen to the original here.
(#18) "Somebody's Baby (Jackson Browne Cover)" by Phantom Planet
And just because Jackson Browne is too cool for school he gets another shout-out. Browne has been songwriting since the mid-60s, with many of his early songs being written for other artists (like his friends the Eagles and his love-interest Nico). In the early 70s, he began recording for himself and songs like "Running on Empty" garnered much acclaim. Amidst his political activisim and classic rock stardom, Browne wrote the New Wave-ish "Somebody's Baby" for 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
In 2001, Phantom Planet covered "Somebody's Baby" for the soundtrack to Not Another Teen Movie, which is comprised entirely of modern bands covering 80s music.
Listen to the original (studio) here.
Listen to the original (live) here.
(#17) "I Want You to Want Me (Cheap Trick Cover)" by KSM
Back in the day, a sure-fire way to know if you've made it in the music business is if Japanese people like your songs. Such was the case for the American power-pop outfit Cheap Trick, whose 1977 album In Color was panned across the board except in Japan. In their Japanese tour the following year, the band played a very successful concert at the Nippon Budokan, often paralleled with The Beatles' performance at the same venue. They released Cheap Trick at Budokan with the lead single "I Want You to Want Me" depicting the intimate interaction between the band and their fans.
The live version of "I Want You to Want Me" is a very catchy tune that's been frequently covered over the years. There are some bad ones out there (I won't put you through the misery of Lindsay Lohan's take on it...), but it's pretty difficult to lose the upbeat-ness and fun-ness of the song. Case in point: KSM. The all-female band's brand of teen pop may not be everyone's cup of tea, but they do a great job at projecting the attitude of the original to a new audience, namely the viewers of the ABC Family series 10 Things I Hate About You.
Listen to the cover (band music video) here.
Listen to the original (studio single) here.
Listen to the original (live single) here.
Listen to the original (live performance) here.
(#16) "Pursuit of Happiness (Kid Cudi Cover)" by Meg & Dia
For a long while, Meg & Dia has been everyone's favorite popular-band-that-nobody-knows-about. Then Dia Frampton went on to compete in the first season of the televised talent program The Voice and won runner-up. And now everyone knows about Meg & Dia... I mean, everyone knows about Dia. Currently, Dia is pursuing a solo carrer, having released Red in December 2011. The band still has an active YouTube page with many great covers, but the majority of them feature only Dia. Nevertheless, these covers (especially the ones including Meg Frampton) are tastefully and artfully tackled, like that of the recent hit "Pursuit of Happiness" by alternative hip-hopper Kid Cudi.
Meg has expressed her support for her sister and continues to work alongside her, but I'm concerned that this newfound fame may spell demise for these artists on the personal level. I actually hope that given their Catholic roots the band gears towards the direction of Christian music (more on this later...).
Listen to the original (MGMT video) here.
Listen to the original (Megaforce video) here.
(#15) "I'm In Love With A Girl (Big Star Cover)" by Chris Carrabba
What can be said about Dashboard Confessional that can't already be summed up in "Hands Down"? The band's frontman, Chris Carrabba, has been promoting the softer side of emo for nearly two decades now, finally releasing a cover album of his biggest heart-on-the-sleeve influences, Covered in the Flood. Just like The Wire Tapes Vol. 1 released with DC, Covered in the Flood features a lot of bells and violins alongside Carrabba on his six string pining on the all-too-familiar topic of unrequited love. A lot of times his covers sound whiny and over-layered, but there are some choice renditions that make you appreciate the original in a different light.
What's most notable about Covered in the Flood is the vast array of indie influences, like Cory Branan and Archers of Loaf. "I'm in Love with a Girl" was originally written by the 70s alternative group Big Star (Alex Chilton's band), and a listen to Carrabba's cover gives more perspective to Paul Westerberg's confession: "I never travel far without a little Big Star."
Listen to the original here.
(#14) "Doctor Worm (They Might Be Giants Cover)" by Relient K
Relint K has been going through some changes, namely shying away from the label of Christian punk to becoming a sort of vague alt-indie band. Although I'm not too particularly happy about this shift, it has allowed the band to reassess their roots and come out with the cover album Is for Karaoke. Unlike Covered in the Flood, this album is comprised of diverse pop hits, from "You're the Inspiration" to "One Headlight" to "Baby." There's not much reinvention happening throughout the album, and at times Matt Thiessen's voice blends in too well between subsequent songs.
In the case of "Doctor Worm," the tempo and moments are so identical to the original that it syncs up almost exactly with its music video. However, with this particular cover it seems like the band is being the most honest with themselves and their style of play... so much so that the authentic quirkiness of They Might Be Giants (that which is eminent in songs like "We're the Replacements") is revived for a new generation.
Listen to the original (band music video) here.
Listen to the original (KaBlam! music video) here.
(#13) "Only If We Must (The Replacements Cover)" by Fabio Molli
And speaking of The Replacements, they're awesome! As such, here's a demo cover of a Mats demo. I don't know much about Fabio Molli, lead singer of the Italian band No Strings Left, except for his cover of "Only If We Must." I don't even know much about the song itself... I just chanced upon it on a random Replacements search on YouTube.
Typical Replacements songs deal with drunkenness or teenage rebellion, but this song is existential on both the personal and relational sense. The peculiar mix of blues lyrics and Spanish-style guitar create an etheral atmosphere, a feeling that Molli expands on with his distortion. I prefer the original myself, but so far as I know Molli's is the best quality recording of the song.
Listen to the original here.
(#12) "Blinded by the Light (Bruce Springsteen Cover)" by Manfred Mann's Earth Band
When I first found out that "Blinded by the Light" was a cover, I was blown away. From time to time I'd hear the 7-minute long conflagration of everything progressive on classic rock radio, and I'd naturally jam out. Manfred Mann's Earth Band knows how to bring the groove just right and I can't help but sing along to the nonsensical lyrics ("And little Early Burly came by in his curly wurly and asked me if I needed a ride...") and air guitar when it goes "dododo-dododo-dododo-dododo-..."
But lo, the song was actually Bruce Springsteen's first single and the product of management pressures. Springsteen's record company were pushing him to write a marketable song, so this was half-hearted attempt and whole-hearted get-off-my-case after he looked some words up in a rhyme dictionary. The original has its place and it's great in itself, but whenever I think of "Blinded by the Light" I'll think about trippy sythesizers and "Chopsticks."
Listen to the cover (studio) here.
Listen to the original here.
(#11) "Dance with Me (Lords of the New Church Cover)" by Nouvelle Vague
Nouvelle Vague (whose name means "new wave" in French and "bossa nova" in Portuguese) is a French bossa nova band who cover New Wave songs. They basically make lounge music versions of famous underground post-punk and punk songs from the 80s, like "Bizarre Love Triangle" and "Blister in the Sun." They're really good at setting a chill mood, and their version of "Dance with Me" takes all the creepiness out of the original by The Lords of the New Church and actually makes the song dance-able.
Listen to the original here.
(#10) "Stronger (Kanye West Cover)" by 30 Seconds to Mars
When a cover crosses genres, it usually ends up sounding like one of the two styles of music, either the original artist's or the cover artist's. But with 30 Seconds to Mars's take on Kanye West's "Stronger," the song came out as a totally new product. Sure, there's a bit of that etheral feel 30STM's brand of alternative often offers (see "Was It a Dream?"), but to be able to meld that with slow-tempo rap lyrics and not make it sound like nu-metal takes some skill. What's more, 30 Seconds to Mars recorded this in one take on September 14, 2007, for the BBC Radio 1 program Live Lounge.
Listen to the original here.
(#9) "New Dawn Fades (Joy Division Cover)" by Moby
If you're a fan of the Bourne movie series, then you may know Moby from his song "Extreme Ways" which plays at the start of each movie's credits (a remixed version plays at the end of the third movie). If you're a fan of TV, then maybe you noticed that his song "We Are All Made of Stars" in a commercial for BlackBerry. If you're a fan of Eminem, then you may be aware of their age-old fued.
In any case, it's safe to say that Moby is not totally unfamiliar with the media world. Back in 1995, he contributed a cover of Joy Division's proto-gothic metal "New Dawn Fades" to the soundtrack of Heat. There was nothing ever lacking in the original... in fact (or better, in my opinion) it is one of Joy Division's most chillingly powerful and undeniably authentic pieces. What Moby did, though, was revitalize the song for a new generation, a 90's generation, whom enjoyed a heaping helping of electronica with their crime dramas.
(Nobody listens to techno?... Really, Eminem?... Really?)
(Update: This cover has also been featured in a new BMW commercial.)
Listen to the cover (live acoustic) here.
Listen to the original here.
(#8) "Teenage Kicks (The Undertones Cover)" by Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
Hailed by the late John Peel as "his favourite song" (and that's saying a lot), "Teenage Kicks" is was every good pop song should be: good. When given an understatement like that, this Undertones tune invites the world for a listen... and another... and another! When played at any volume, the drums kick you off your chair, the guitars get you to groovin' and Sharkey's Irish crooning effectively conveys Act II of this modern Romeo and Juliet story (of which we've encountered all too often) in just two minutes. Unlike other songs out there, you won't regret listening to this one.
And also unlike a lot of songs, the quality of this song translates to its popularity. Since 1978, "Teenage Kicks" has been widely covered by bands both punk and not. Of the latter portion, the version by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain is peculiar, to say the least. The name says it all, and like Nouvelle Vague they fancy revisiting the cult hits of yesteryear. Nevertheless, there's one word to describe this cover: good. =D
Listen to the original here.
(#7) "Lovesong (The Cure Cover)" by Adele
My first Adele song was "Hometown Glory" which I listened to before "Rolling in the Deep," so I sorta pride myself in quote-unquote knowing Adele before everyone heard "Someone Like You" on the radio (... my third Adele song...). Aside from being a talented vocalist and authoring albums full of platinum statuses and breakup songs, she's an avid cover artist. Both in her main CDs and bonus material, she makes it a habit of including covers by influential artists.
In 19, it was "Make You Feel My Love" by Bob Dylan. In 21, it was "Lovesong" by The Cure. If you're familiar with The Cure and how this song characterizes them like no other, then I won't go any further. Otherwise, check it. I'm just anxious to see what 23 brings.
Listen to the cover (studio) here.
Listen to the original here.
(#6) "1979 (The Smashing Pumpkins Cover)" by Louie Cruz
I was fortunate enough to stumble upon this artist when I was on a Relient K phase. I saw his cover of "More Than Useless" and instantly wanted more. I checked out his YouTube page and inferred that he's Louie Cruz from the Philippines. He listens to everything alternative, from Nirvana to Paramore, and covers (by ear, if I'm not mistaken) his favorites.
There's over 370 of these cover videos, so I didn't have the time to search for the "best" one. But one that struck a chord for me was "1979" by The Smashing Pumpkins, which Cruz performs so seemlessly that it might as well have been written by him.
Listen to the original here.
(#5) "Marciano (The Misfits Cover)" by Molotov
I think it's a pretty American quality to be self-centered. Not that this personality trait isn't observed outside of the States, but it's something that's deep-rooted in our USA DNA. I mean this in a very general sense... just follow my logic for a bit. When we (I'm including myself as well) are not at school or work, then we're at home in our bedrooms doing what we do (Facebook, sleeping, what have you). Sometimes we venture out of our four walls into the dining room for family dinner. And sometimes we go even farther to the local cinema with friends. But other than the few instances we visit our grandparents who live in another city, many of us Americans happily reside within a 10-mile radius of our respective dormatories. And for the most part, it is within this bubble that the bulk of our attention is directed.
For example, when was the last time you thought about the windmills in Holland or the impoverished of India? True, there are those of us who go out into the world to experience it and to serve it with all their heart, but as a whole these are relatively short trips that are undertaken, only to come back home where the most cultural impact we have is "deciding" who continues on to the next round of America's Best Dance Crew. Yes, we may care a lot about ourselves, but we're not the only ones who care. Although we view the world through shutter shades, the world views us with a magnifying lens. The way we talk, the food we eat, the shows we watch and the clothes we wear when we walk to the bus stop... all of that is processed, packaged and delivered to our fellow human brethren across our shores. I'm not saying that everyone wants to be like a United States-ian, but I'm arguing that entertainment is America's biggest export.
Needless to say, music is included in this cultural spectroscope. At the risk of making this post even longer, I introduce to you Molotov, a Spanish rap rock group from Mexico City, Mexico. They're a band that's kinda out there... sometimes a song is mellow, sometimes it's hard and sometimes it's "Wait... what?" ("Dance and Dense Denso" actually scared me the first time I heard it). There's no mistaking, though, the influence American culture has had on the band, which is evident in their sound and even their sarcasm. Their 2004 cover album Con Todo Respeto (With All Due Respect) pays tribute to their international musical forerunners and at times even redefines the playing field. One example of this is giving "I Turned into a Martian" by the hardcore punk act The Misfits a cumbia beat. That's not to say Molotov doesn't know how to rock out (they've been known to play both versions live).
Listen to the cover (fan video) here.
Listen to the cover (punk version) here.
Listen to the original here.
(#4) "Free Fallin' (Tom Petty Cover)" by John Mayer
Tom Petty is a man who doesn't need an introduction (unless, of course, your confused as to whether the Beaty Towers urban legend is referring to "American Girl" or "Free Fallin'"). And with that, we jump right into the cover artist. Although I'm not too familiar with John Mayer's work, I think fans will agree that he sings with a soft charisma, one that serves to please his audience as opposed to build himself up. This lulling is distinct from Petty's infectious hick-esque drawl that is as classic to imitate as Elvis's "Hey, baby."
In his cover of "Free Fallin'," Mayer isn't traversing uncharted territory (the adult contemporary complements Petty's original feel). But uncompromisingly, he's able to make it a Mayer song. In listening to the live rendition below, it's as if we're hearing this familiar 20-year-old song for the first time. It's as if, amidst the tens of thousands of people swaying their cell phones at this open-air concert, we're transported back to the intimate (and hypothetical) moment when Petty serenaded his "good girl" with the same words. It's way better than Jason Mraz's attempt at "Blitzkrieg Bop," that's for sure!
Listen to the original here.
(#3) "Seventy Times Seven (Brand New Cover)" by Inside the Target Car
Not familiar with Inside the Target Car? That's okay, they're local. Founded and residing in Jacksonville, FL, this we-don't-have-a-particular-genre-we-just-play-music (i.e., post-hardcore) band embodies the reclamation of the true spirit of independent music. And the best part is that they're not even trying. They're not trying to join a musical faction or mimic some other scene. They're just trying to write songs about life... life through their eyes, the life that their fans can relate to... and they're influenced by bands having the same mission.
In 2001, Brand New released their first album Your Favorite Weapon containing the song "Seventy Times Seven." The lyrics reflect the falling-out of a friendship between vocalist Jesse Lacey and John Nolan, then-guitarist of Taking Back Sunday (whose song "There's No 'I' in Team" from Tell All Your Friends alludes to the same feud). The two bands have since buried the hatchet, but "Seventy Times Seven" remains a go-to for adolescents and adolescents-at-heart who struggle reconciling the doctrine of forgiveness with the inherent need for occassional cathartic healing.
I got the chance to see Inside the Target Car once and they played this cover, which I'm told is a favorite of theirs. Like I said, they're not trying to be Brand New or any other band. They're just trying to play music... music that they and their fans can connect with. And as shown by the way the lyrics are cried out on cue, the way the dividing wall between band and audience is frequently blurred and the way the intro to "Jesus" is used as a teaser, the song serves its purpose.
(Be sure to check out a short documentary about Inside the Target Car here, wherein Dancell is also given an off-the-cuff mention.)
Listen to the original (studio) here.
Listen to the original (live) here.
(#2) "This Modern Love (Bloc Party Cover)" by Final Fantasy
The members of Bloc Party are youthful guys. They're this way on the outside, obviously, as well as on the inside. Their sound is very high-energy and fast-paced (you may have come across their song "Helicopter" on Guitar Hero III), owning to the character of their age group. Furthermore, their music does not fail to reveal their male humanity. I may be speaking for myself, but I'd say that at any given time guys can either be thinking about nothing or about everything. Either we're passively viewing the explosions in the latest Bruce Willis movie or we're preoccupied with the massive list of incongruent responsibilities on our plates (report deadlines, changing the oil, preparing/planning for date night, etc.).
When Bloc Party write songs, they tap into this chaotically unique aspect of their gender, especially when trying to make sense of this crazy little thing called love. And so we have "This Modern Love," which portrays the mystery of continuing to make ourselves voluntarily vulnerable for the sake of our significant other in today's world. In this song, the emotions manifested in something as simple as a phone conversation are conveyed as they feel: like weathering out all the stages of a hurricane in your little dinghy out at sea.
I came across the cover to this song randomly. I saw the song title and a saw a dude on a violin, so I had to check out what was up. And I was far from disappointed. Under the stage name Final Fantasy, Owen Pallett recreates this intricate four-piece piece with the use of a single instrument, and an antiquated one at that. I'm not saying the violin is out-of-date or out-of-place. On the contrary, the synthesis between this wooden relic and modern loop pedal technology, coupled with the frustrated cries revealing a desire to live out this age-old wonder in a relativistic society, complete the job Bloc Party started.
Listen to the original (studio) here.
Listen to the original (live) here.
(#1) "Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd Cover)" by Audrey Assad
The truth of the matter is that if you're not listening to Audrey Assad, you're doing yourself a disservice. While perusing one of my favorite blogs, I discovered that she had recently recorded a cover of "Wish You Were Here" by the 70s progressive band Pink Floyd for the multi-artist EP Covers. This greatly intrigued me because I not only appreciate both artists but their musical styles and personal philosophies are seemingly dichotomous. I began doing some research, and I don't think I could explain her reasoning better than herself:
It ended up being one of the more beautiful moments in my whole career so far, tracking this song. I did due diligence on researching it and what it has meant not only to the band, but to their fans over the years…and though the song had always resonated with me, I found a new home in it through that reading. It was like I had figured out a piece of why I loved it so much. In particular there was a person in my life who appeared to be connected to it, and I held that person before the eyes of my heart while I sang the vocal, while we tracked piano, while we mixed the song. I think you can hear that emotion loud and clear in this.
Music now needs a plan, needs a purpose, and that's what Audrey offers. She has a formula and a goal, and that's what leads to song worth sharing. You may say, "Music is supposed to be about freedom and writing about what's in your heart. Not formulas." Then I'll reply, "Explain to me "Call Me Maybe," hmm?" (Although I do admit... it is pretty catchy).
Recalling my comment about Meg & Dia, I'm not saying that everybody has to play Christian music, but musicians need to recover the lost art of writing about things greater than themselves, and the general public needs to recover the lost art of appreciating it when it happens. Take it from Audrey, a musician, and from me, a fan of music.
Listen to the original here.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks for sticking with me this far! Until the next time I have time...
Everyone's caught on to everything,
Kelvin
No comments:
Post a Comment