Each week I'm posting a random or not-so-random cover song. Only the current week's track will be available but if you see a past one you'd like, contact me and we'll make arrangements.
If you are the copyright holder of the current track and wish it to be taken down please contact me to do so.
Sunday, December 13th, 2009
Fanfarlo covers Neutral Milk Hotel
YouTubeSo this was supposed to be a selection perfectly timed with the Toronto debut of Fanfarlo at the El Mocambo this Tuesday, but instead, some dick in Portland had to go off and break into their tour van and steal frontman Simon Balthazar’s passport. Obviously this sucked for him, but also sucked for us here in Toronto and Montreal who’d been anxiously waiting for one of the band’s numerous North American jaunts this year to finally come up this way. Next time, they promise. Bah.
I’d even gone to the trouble of ripping the audio from the laptop session that featured the band pulling off a faithful and gorgeous cover of Neutral Milk Hotel’s classic “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea”, which they’re eminently suited to do justice to. And while I could wait until we have a make-up date to air it – perhaps in the Spring as they’re confirmed to play SxSW – I am reminded of my own personal philosophy: to seize the day and live for the moment. Wait, that’s not my philosophy. My philosophy is, “cower like a turtle and hope it all blows over”. But I’ll post the song anyways.
The Neutral Milk Hotel remains closed for business both now and for the foreseeable future, but they’re not completely out of the news. Merge Records recently unearthed some live footage of a show in New York circa 1996 and Mangum makes a rare appearaance on a new tribute album to New Zealand musician Chris Knox, who suffered a stroke earlier this Summer. Stroke: Songs for Chris Knox is currently available digitally and will be released as a limited-edition 2-CD set on February 23 of next year.
MP3: Fanfarlo – “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea”
Video: Fanfarlo – “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea”
Video: Jeff Mangum – “In The Aeroplane Over The Sea” (live)
Sunday, December 6th, 2009
Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds cover Pulp
PulpwikiThe points at which Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and Pulp intersect aren’t plentiful. The former’s blackly humourous murder balladry is some distance from the latter’s droll yet incisive social commentary, but they both have tall, gangly and unconventionally charismatic frontmen, a preternatural ability to tell a vivid tale in song, and a general undeniable awesomeness. And on Pulp’s 2001 “Bad Cover Version” single, they shared a song.
In keeping with the theme of the song, which also yielded one of my favourite videos ever, linked below and with a spotters guide here, Pulp commissioned Nick Cave and crew to do not one but two covers of their massive hit, “Disco 2000”. The first, which appeared as the proper b-side and is featured this week, had Cave doing a slower, croony, piano bar-ish version – a far cry from the celebratory tone of the original, but far from a “bad cover version”. The second version was acknowledged to exist but remained unreleased for years until the deluxe reissues of His’N’Hers, Different Class and This Is Hardcore.
Then it appeared on the bonus disc of Different Class, despite not being period-correct since it was a b-side from the band’s 2001 swan song We Love Life. But We Love Life wasn’t getting the deluxe reissue treatment and the second cover, dubbed the “Nick Cave Pub Rock Version” was too good/fun to leave in the vaults. The version note pretty much tells the tale, as Cave and the Seeds bash their way through the tune in finest, loudest, bar rock fashion and considering that style is natural to neither Pulp nor Cave, the finished result can’t help but be fantastic.
Though released in the UK and other places back in 2006, the deluxe editions of Pulp’s holy trinity of albums remained unavailable domestically in the United States until now – all three are being released this coming Tuesday. And I will testify that the extra goods on all three editions make them worth owning, absolutely. Pulp are not planning on reforming for Glastonbury 2010 or any other occasion. Jarvis Cocker continues on with his solo career, appeared (in voice) in Fantastic Mr Fox (which I still have to see) and is interviewed by The Sydney Morning Herald and The Brisbane Times. Nick Cave released his second novel this Fall in The Death Of Bunny Munro and will release a new Grinderman record in the new year.
MP3: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds – “Disco 2000”
Video: Pulp – “Disco 2000”
Video: Pulp – “Bad Cover Version”
Sunday, November 29th, 2009
The Hidden Cameras cover Destiny’s Child
Frank YangThis one has apparently been sitting in my coffers since 2005, which means it dates back to well before the time that I had any tags on MP3s beyond, well, artist and title. But really, doesn’t the post title say it all? Assuming the time period is correct – which is no certainty – you’ve got a Mississauga Goddamn-era Hidden Cameras doing a live cover of Destiny’s Child, who were putting out their final album in Destiny Fulfilled, after which they’d be done for good (so far).
The Cameras version eschews the slinky, confrontational vibe of the original for something gentler and more celebratory, all dressed up in choirs and extended saxophone solo. Kind of at odds with the theme of the lyrics, but really not worth arguing over. I like it, and am glad to have finally gotten a chance to post it up – that chance being the end of the Cameras’ North American tour in support of this year’s Origin: Orphan, which wraps this Saturday night with a hometown show in Toronto at the Opera House.
As stated, Destiny’s Child is no more but Beyonce has done pretty well for herself as a solo artist. The Guardian declared her their artist of the decade and apparently she has one of the best videos of all time. The Winnipeg Free Press, The Gateway, Vue and FFWD have interviews with head Hidden Camera Joel Gibb.
MP3: The Hidden Cameras – “Say My Name”
Video: Destiny’s Child – “Say My Name”
Sunday, November 22nd, 2009
Devo cover Nine Inch Nails
AmazonAt first glance, it seems a strange pairing – absurdist ’80s New Wave/art-rock pioneers Devo taking on nihilist ’90s industrial rock pioneers Nine Inch Nails, but no stranger than the project for which it was intended – the soundtrack to the 1996 US release of Jackie Chan’s Supercop. Of course, nothing is ever really that ridiculous where Devo is involved, ridiculousness being key to their creative mandate. And I’ve always found Nine Inch Nails somewhat ridiculous as well, so Devo’s re-do of their angst anthem actually goes down better in these parts than the original.
Devo are wrapping a short North American tour this Monday and Tuesday in Toronto with shows at The Phoenix wherein their perform Q: Are We Not Men? A: We are DEVO! and Freedom Of Choice in their entirety, one each night, and will release their first new album in twenty years next year with Fresh. Nine Inch Nails went on hiatus this year following a final round of touring, giving Trent Reznor more time to focus on his Twittering.
NOW has an interview with Devo’s Gerald Casale.
MP3: Devo – “Head Like A Hole”
Video: Nine Inch Nails – “Head Like A Hole”
Sunday, November 15th, 2009
Richard Hawley covers Gordon Lightfoot
sheandhimfan.comThere’s many factors involved with crafting a distinctive cover version, but if you had to choose just one to work with, you can’t really go wrong with having a signature voice. Just ask Richard Hawley – the Sheffield singer-songwriter has a signature smoky croon that’s pretty much unmistakable, assuming you know that you couldn’t possibly be hearing Roy Orbison.
A quality cover also relies, of course, on the strength of the source material so Hawley couldn’t go wrong with his contribution to the Sweetheart compilation, released earlier this year by Starbucks for Valentine’s Day. He went with a tune by Gordon Lightfoot that’s practically a standard now, having also been been recorded by Elvis, Dylan and Peter Paul & Mary to name but a few. For his version, Hawley gussies up the arrangements some gives it maybe a bit more spring in its step, but largely stays faithful to the original. After all, he’s a man with a firm appreciation for the classics.
Gordon Lightfoot wraps a Canadian tour with a four-night hometown stand at Massey Hall in Toronto this week, running from the 18th to the 22nd. There’s interviews with the man at NOW and The Orillia Packet. Richard Hawley released a new record in Truelove’s Gutter earlier this Fall and is generally awesome.
MP3: Richard Hawley – “Early Morning Rain”
Video: Gordon Lightfoot – “Early Morning Rain” (live)
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