Friday, July 22, 2005
Gray skies are gonna clear up!
Many thanks (uh, I think) to a Live Journal friend who pointed me in the direction of this collection of MP3s of every song ever sung by the Golden Girls. Be very afraid.
Push the button. Don't push the button.
I try not to post from work on a regular basis, but my contract is up here soon and I'm bored, so why the hell not? I've been a little too preoccupied lately with Flickr, so I wasn't able to come up with any theme for today's selection or find an entire album from which to cull gems, so back to the random smattering it is! Enjoy. (And, fellow Chicagoans, if your organization is looking for a hard-working smartass with great administrative and customer service skills and a wealth of useless information trapped inside her head, please let me know.)
Blondie "Out in the Streets (1975 demo version)" (Shangri-Las cover)
I love the Shangri-Las and I love old-school Blondie. This song gets caught in my head quite frequently.
The Ukrainians "Batyar (Bigmouth Strikes Again)" (Smiths cover)
From their Smiths cover EP Pisni Iz The Smiths, which features a handful of Ukrainian folk versions of classic Smiths songs.
Two Nice Girls "Cotton Crown" (Sonic Youth cover)
Lesbian folk singers covering Sonic Youth? Why not? From their album Like a Version, which also includes the Speed Racer theme song, among other odd covers and medleys.
Muse "Feeling Good" (Nina Simone cover)
Personally, I've tried and I just can't get into Muse, but I've been told I'm wrong by more than a few people.
Har Mar Superstar "Alone Again, Naturally" (Gilbert O'Sullivan cover)
Sean Na Na? Calvin Krime? Har Mar Superstar? Whoever. Personality disorders turn me on.
Cansei de Ser Sexy "Hollywood" (Madonna cover)
Someone reminded me of this in a comment a few entries back. I like it.
I love the Shangri-Las and I love old-school Blondie. This song gets caught in my head quite frequently.
From their Smiths cover EP Pisni Iz The Smiths, which features a handful of Ukrainian folk versions of classic Smiths songs.
Lesbian folk singers covering Sonic Youth? Why not? From their album Like a Version, which also includes the Speed Racer theme song, among other odd covers and medleys.
Personally, I've tried and I just can't get into Muse, but I've been told I'm wrong by more than a few people.
Sean Na Na? Calvin Krime? Har Mar Superstar? Whoever. Personality disorders turn me on.
Someone reminded me of this in a comment a few entries back. I like it.
Monday, July 18, 2005
If I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don't know.
These tracks come from the same mostly horrifying When Pigs Fly: Songs You Never Thought You'd Hear CD from whence the Ani DiFranco/Jackie Chan version of "Unforgettable" I posted here and the Billy Preston cover of "Girls on Film" I posted here.
The Connells "Insane in the Brain" (Cypress Hill cover)
The Connells always seemed like a band I should have been able to get into in the same way as I got into, say, Buffalo Tom or The Posies or Lloyd Cole or something, but I never could. At least I gave it the ol' college try.
Devo "Ohio" (Neil Young cover)
I listened to my dad's vinyl copy of "Freedom of Choice" quite a bit as a kid, and now it is mine. This isn't as good as anything on that album, but it's still one of the best tracks on this album.
Don Ho "Shock the Monkey" (Peter Gabriel cover)
My paternal grandfather was a professional golfer and he and my grandmother spent a few months every winter in Hawaii. They took me with them a few times, most notably when I was 2 1/2 (I was very excited by the half, you know). We spent some time on both Oahu and Maui and the story goes that one night they took me to a lounge where Don Ho was playing and I joined him on stage for "Tiny Bubbles." I vaguely remember the layout of the lounge and the candles on the table, but I don't remember what I'm certain was my stellar performance. However, I suspect it was probably a little better than this track.
Lesley Gore "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" (AC/DC cover)
I try to picture the call in which Lesley was asked to participate in this, and my brain implodes. Lesley is one of my favorite singers ever, but it's difficult for me to admit that after listening to this.
The Oak Ridge Boys "Carry On Wayward Son" (Kansas cover)
Heh. It's not saying much, but think this is my favorite cover on the album. I love those country gospel harmonies, what can I say?
The Connells always seemed like a band I should have been able to get into in the same way as I got into, say, Buffalo Tom or The Posies or Lloyd Cole or something, but I never could. At least I gave it the ol' college try.
I listened to my dad's vinyl copy of "Freedom of Choice" quite a bit as a kid, and now it is mine. This isn't as good as anything on that album, but it's still one of the best tracks on this album.
My paternal grandfather was a professional golfer and he and my grandmother spent a few months every winter in Hawaii. They took me with them a few times, most notably when I was 2 1/2 (I was very excited by the half, you know). We spent some time on both Oahu and Maui and the story goes that one night they took me to a lounge where Don Ho was playing and I joined him on stage for "Tiny Bubbles." I vaguely remember the layout of the lounge and the candles on the table, but I don't remember what I'm certain was my stellar performance. However, I suspect it was probably a little better than this track.
I try to picture the call in which Lesley was asked to participate in this, and my brain implodes. Lesley is one of my favorite singers ever, but it's difficult for me to admit that after listening to this.
Heh. It's not saying much, but think this is my favorite cover on the album. I love those country gospel harmonies, what can I say?
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Take a walk on the wiggly side.
All I know about Andrew Denton I learned right here. He's some dorky Australian personality with a radio show or something and he's put out a few "Musical Challenge" discs, not unlike the Like a Version discs referenced in the last post. Here are some of the most listenable tracks from them. Um, kinda.
The Wiggles "Walk on the Wild Side" (Lou Reed cover)
I was blissfully unaware of the existence of the Wiggles until I took up a babysitting gig while I was unemployed a few years ago. Man. Those guys creep me the hell out. But the kiddies seem to like them. Obviously, they've cleaned up the lyrics a bit.
Willie Nelson "Smells Like Teen Spirit" (Nirvana cover)
It's too bad he sang so little of the song, I'd have liked it to go on longer.
Screaming Jets "My Heart Will Go On" (Celine Dion cover)
Unfortunately, I was working megastore music retail when Titanic came out and had to create a giant Christmastime Celine Dion display and endure hearing this song on the overhead speakers for months. On the plus side, we did get these ultra-cheap tacky little promotional "Le Coeur de la Mer" pendants to give out with a purchase of the soundtrack, which I wore en masse many times. You'd be surprised how fancy you can look wearing 15 of those at a time. I think I still have one somewhere; I should wear it more often.
Mark Lizotte "I Write the Songs" (Barry Manilow cover)
If you told me this was the Black Crowes, I'd probably believe you. An interesting take.
Gina Jeffreys "Kryptonite" (3 Doors Down cover)
3 Doors Down? ZZZZzzzz. Gina Jeffreys? Better than 3 Doors Down. As if that means anything.
Josh Joplin "Eye of the Tiger" (Survivor cover)
Eh, it's okay. Kinda reminds me of 3 Doors Down though.
The Delltones "Pretty Vacant" (Sex Pistols cover)
Doo-wop punk? I'm all for it.
I was blissfully unaware of the existence of the Wiggles until I took up a babysitting gig while I was unemployed a few years ago. Man. Those guys creep me the hell out. But the kiddies seem to like them. Obviously, they've cleaned up the lyrics a bit.
It's too bad he sang so little of the song, I'd have liked it to go on longer.
Unfortunately, I was working megastore music retail when Titanic came out and had to create a giant Christmastime Celine Dion display and endure hearing this song on the overhead speakers for months. On the plus side, we did get these ultra-cheap tacky little promotional "Le Coeur de la Mer" pendants to give out with a purchase of the soundtrack, which I wore en masse many times. You'd be surprised how fancy you can look wearing 15 of those at a time. I think I still have one somewhere; I should wear it more often.
If you told me this was the Black Crowes, I'd probably believe you. An interesting take.
3 Doors Down? ZZZZzzzz. Gina Jeffreys? Better than 3 Doors Down. As if that means anything.
Eh, it's okay. Kinda reminds me of 3 Doors Down though.
Doo-wop punk? I'm all for it.
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Notice me. Take my hand.
Today I give you tracks from CDs put out by a few foreign (to me, anyhow) radio stations. Apparently the new rage is to get current local pop stars to cover songs old and new for albums to benefit various charities. And I'm, obviously, all for that. I'm sharing tracks from two different albums today, and I have others for the days to follow. I think you'll mostly be pleasantly surprised. At least I am.
From Ireland's today FM Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 2 (I posted tracks from the first volume way back when):
Bell x1 "Like I Love You/Slow" (Justin Timberlake/Kylie Minogue cover medley)
This is the first I've heard of Bell x1 and I'm very intrigued. They sound so sexy. Or maybe it's the Sixteen Horsepowerish banjo feel. Or the bottle of wine I've had tonight has gone to my head, among other places.
Mickey Harte "I Don't Want You Back" (Eamon cover)
It'd be better with the curse words intact—"feck"?—but go Mickey! Anyone who could make this song somewhat listenable is okay by me.
Glen Hansard & Colm MacConlomaire of The Frames "Every Time" (Britney Spears cover)
The original was always a huge guilty pleasure for me, even if they did remove the blood from the bathtub scene in the video. Britney running so earnestly in little else but a man's white oxford shirt? It touched me, y'all. This version as well makes me want to make out with hot Irish guys. (Yeah. I shouldn't drink so much before posting.)
Vyvienne Long "Seven Nation Army" (White Stripes cover)
I need more cellists in my life. My sole dreamy cellist friend, Joey, moved to California a few years ago. Whenever I smell sandalwood I think of him. Hand claps, on the other hand, remind me of participating in Catholic-school sing-along songs that involved ridiculous hand motions and whatnot. I'm so glad I'm not Catholic anymore.
From Australia's Triple J station's Like A Version:
The Pictures "Milkshake" (Kelis cover)
A lo-fi garagey "Baba O'Reilly"-sounding Kelis cover? And not changing all the boys to girls? Yes, please, a thousand times yes! (Although I do hate it when a band doesn't even find out the lyrics before covering a song. "I want it all"? Um. No. It's "Warm it up." Guys are the worst at guessing lyrics, I swear. no offense.)
Darren Hanlon "Don't Stop" (Fleetwood Mac cover)
I feel similarly about this Hanlon chap as I do about Bell x1, which is weird since one of my many idiosyncrasies is an irrational anti-attraction I have to Australian men. No, I don't know where it comes from either. I'm nuts.
The Cat Empire "Hotel California" (Eagles cover)
Hotel California was one of the first albums in my dad's record collection I began listening to nonstop once I was old and alert enough to realize how fucking awesome my dad's record collection was. (Seriously, how cool my dad is still freaks me out regularly, people.) This version is my introduction to the Cat Empire, whom I seem to like despite my aversion to reggae-influenced acts. (A few ska bands aside.) French lyrics and what I believe to be an accordion help it. It's very Moulin Rogue meets Buena Vista Social Club. (Heh, and they said I couldn't be a music critic!) I like this better than the songs available on their site, but they seem like a band that would put on a good show. Even if they do look like frat boys. (Not that I have anything against frat boys. I'm sure some have redeeming qualities. Really.)
From Ireland's today FM Even Better Than the Real Thing Vol. 2 (I posted tracks from the first volume way back when):
This is the first I've heard of Bell x1 and I'm very intrigued. They sound so sexy. Or maybe it's the Sixteen Horsepowerish banjo feel. Or the bottle of wine I've had tonight has gone to my head, among other places.
It'd be better with the curse words intact—"feck"?—but go Mickey! Anyone who could make this song somewhat listenable is okay by me.
The original was always a huge guilty pleasure for me, even if they did remove the blood from the bathtub scene in the video. Britney running so earnestly in little else but a man's white oxford shirt? It touched me, y'all. This version as well makes me want to make out with hot Irish guys. (Yeah. I shouldn't drink so much before posting.)
I need more cellists in my life. My sole dreamy cellist friend, Joey, moved to California a few years ago. Whenever I smell sandalwood I think of him. Hand claps, on the other hand, remind me of participating in Catholic-school sing-along songs that involved ridiculous hand motions and whatnot. I'm so glad I'm not Catholic anymore.
From Australia's Triple J station's Like A Version:
A lo-fi garagey "Baba O'Reilly"-sounding Kelis cover? And not changing all the boys to girls? Yes, please, a thousand times yes! (Although I do hate it when a band doesn't even find out the lyrics before covering a song. "I want it all"? Um. No. It's "Warm it up." Guys are the worst at guessing lyrics, I swear. no offense.)
I feel similarly about this Hanlon chap as I do about Bell x1, which is weird since one of my many idiosyncrasies is an irrational anti-attraction I have to Australian men. No, I don't know where it comes from either. I'm nuts.
Hotel California was one of the first albums in my dad's record collection I began listening to nonstop once I was old and alert enough to realize how fucking awesome my dad's record collection was. (Seriously, how cool my dad is still freaks me out regularly, people.) This version is my introduction to the Cat Empire, whom I seem to like despite my aversion to reggae-influenced acts. (A few ska bands aside.) French lyrics and what I believe to be an accordion help it. It's very Moulin Rogue meets Buena Vista Social Club. (Heh, and they said I couldn't be a music critic!) I like this better than the songs available on their site, but they seem like a band that would put on a good show. Even if they do look like frat boys. (Not that I have anything against frat boys. I'm sure some have redeeming qualities. Really.)
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Nothing can move us ... we should be moving.
Politically, I have a few issues with the Live 8 performances, but I don't maintain this blog to engage in political debates. Therefore, I will direct you to this page, which features QuickTime movies of all of the Live 8 performances—a handful of which were covers. (Rumor has it that you can watch all the performances at AOL.com as well, but I'm sure as hell not heading over there or linking to them to find out.)
Here are the covers I had the patience to root out that you can check for once you get there (there are probably more than those listed, but my eyes glazed over after a while):
In London:
Ms. Dynamite covering Bob Marley's "Redemption Song"
Robbie Williams covering Queen's "We Will Rock You"
Dido singing the Neneh Cherry part of "7 Seconds" with Youssou N'Dour
In Philadelphia:
Maroon 5 covering Neil Young's "Rockin' in the Free World"
In Berlin:
Die Totenhosen covering the McCoys' "Hang on Sloopy"
Green Day covering Queen's "We are the Champions"
Juan Diego Flores" singing Rodgers and Hammerstein's "You'll Never Walk Alone"
Roxy Music doing their version of John Lennon's "Jealous Guy"
Otto Waalkes singing Billy Joel's "Piano Man"
In Paris:
Craig David and Tina Arena dueting the Beatles' "Come Together"
David Hallyday covering the Knack's "My Sharona"
In Rome:
Noa covering Alan Parsons Project's "Eye in the Sky"
Here are the covers I had the patience to root out that you can check for once you get there (there are probably more than those listed, but my eyes glazed over after a while):
In London:
In Philadelphia:
In Berlin:
In Paris:
In Rome:
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Thursday night your stocking needed mending.
I'm currently loving the Thai psych/garage madness (both the covers and the originals) of Thai Beat A Go-Go Volumes 1 and 2. Fans of the 5.6.7.8's are likely to enjoy. Here's a little sampler:
Payom Moogda "Tamai Dern Sae (What'd I Say)" (Ray Charles cover)
Apparently this track's Thai title translates into "Why do you walk like a drunkard?" Awesome.
Sakarin Boonpit "Kotmorn Yoop Yap (All Shook Up)" (Elvis Presley cover)
Sodai Chaengkij "Shake Baby Shake" (which is actually "Cool, Cool Ways") (Jerry Lee Lewis cover)
Sodai Chaengkij "Lady Madonna" (Beatles cover)
I think Sodai is my favorite, so I gave you two of her tracks.
Suda Chuenbarn "Funky Broadway" (Christian)
Traces "Je T'aime, Moi Non Plus" (Serge Gainsbourg cover)
Apparently this track's Thai title translates into "Why do you walk like a drunkard?" Awesome.
I think Sodai is my favorite, so I gave you two of her tracks.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
A place nobody dared to go ... except Menudo and me.
Oh ... my... God. My pal Louis—whose Damaged Hearing radio show you can (and should) listen to here on Tuesday afternoons and Friday nights—sent me this Holy Grail today and I'm freaking out. This is in the category of covers I knew existed and desperately wanted but hadn't been able to locate on my own. A rarity, that. I believe this is the first incarnation of Menudo (read: Ricky Melendez, not Martin) and I'm in love with the horror of it. It hits me like a cannonball.
Somewhat related—and I'm dating myself big-time here (yeah, MTV, I actually lived in a '70s house): Does anyone remember the episode of Silver Spoons where Ricky Stratton (Ricky-now-Rick Schroeder) sneaks into a hotel to convince Menudo to play at his birthday party so he can impress a girl he likes and they come out on that little train and play a song, I think, and when the song is over, the girl screams, "Ricky, I love you!" and rich-kid Ricky thinks she's talking about him, but she was really talking about Ricky in Menudo and she runs to him and hugs him and Ricky Stratton is all heartbroken? That was the shit.
Also related: Does anyone remember the little mini-videos Menudo had on ABC in the early '80s that inexplicably replaced Schoolhouse Rock, I believe, that were about the most inane subjects ever? For decades now whenever I go to a "shopping mall," I get that damned song stuck in my head. "If there's anything you like, you can always find it in the shopping mall. Made in China, Philippines ... something something something ... in a shopping mall." Dude, according to Menudo, you can even find parrots that speak French in shopping malls. I've no proof of that though. How can there not be a site somewhere dedicated to those snippets? I need MP3s and video. Desperately. Louis? Anyone?
One more thing. Spanish speakers help me out here: Am I hearing things or does this translation indicate that someone is playing an "armonica fantastico"? There wasn't a reference to a fantastic harmonica in the original, but there should have been!
We're all so famous!
So I was linked in yesterday's LA Times article on MP3 blogs, huh? I guess I should actually start posting more regularly for the next few weeks. (Which has actually been my plan now that the holiday weekend is over.) Look for some new tracks tonight.
Monday, July 04, 2005
Dance in front yo' mirror when you're on the phone.
Thanks to reader MuffinMan who was able to get me this MP3 so you can download the best cover performed on the otherwise godawful run of Hit Me Baby One More Time.
Thursday, June 30, 2005
So ... in ... phase.
I know it's difficult to believe given my passions for reality TV, pop culture, retro hits and cover songs, but I haven't really been watching Hit Me Baby One More Time. I figured it would be really depressing. And from what little snippets I've seen here and there, it seems I was right. Still, I heard good things about Wang Chung's version of Nelly's "Hot in Herre." And, you know, it really was pretty good. You can hear it at WC's MySpace page. Enjoy.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
I've waited hours for this.
Like all good aging hipsters, I once had a really big thing for the Cure. And it's my birthday and I have nothing better to do than relive my thing for the Cure. If you feel me on this, you should check out Plainsong.net, which features a pretty comprehensive list of "selective" covers (I think he or she means "selected," but I'll be nice since I don't think English is his/her first language) and tribute albums. I respectfully disagree with many of the author's opinions on which tribute albums and songs are worthwhile, but it's a nice list nonetheless.
From Fictional: A Tribute to the Cure
Blipp! "The Caterpillar" (Cure cover)
From Give Me the Cure: DC Bands Cover the Cure
By far the most emo/indie of the Cure tributes.
Chisel "Six Different Ways" (Cure cover)
I love Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, don't get me wrong, but oh how I miss Chisel. And this song, as well as any track on The Head on the Door, reminds me of one of the longest make-out sessions of my high school career. I think my then boyfriend (now gay, of course) let the cassette play through on automatic reverse about three times as we cavorted in his basement.
DJ Bootious Maximus "The Love Cats" (Cure cover)
Tuscadero "Boys Don't Cry" (Cure cover)
Dismemberment Plan "Close to Me" (Cure cover)
From Into a Sea of Cure (an Argentine tribute to The Cure)
Shh... "Lullaby" (Cure cover)
From Pink Pig—The Whole Cure in the Mirror
A whole bunch of Cure fans you've most likely never heard of covering every Cure song that exists.
Lucho Giesso "A Few Hours After This" (Cure cover)
Many of my favorite Cure songs were B-sides, and this is my all-time favorite. Well, not this version, which is overwrought to say the least.
Damon Boyce "A Man Inside My Mouth" (Cure cover)
Another B-side that makes me nostalgic. Sorta. My freshman year of high school, we hit the gymnastics portion of the semester and my crazy friend who was on the school dance squad made us do a routine to this song (the original, of course, as this version did not exist back then). That she chose it was cool I guess, but gym-class gymnastics routines? Not so much.
From 15 Imaginary Songs: A Tribute to the Cure
The Caves "Just Like Heaven" (Cure cover)
Morbid Poetry "Push" (Cure cover)
Decadence "Disintegration" (Cure cover)
From Disintegrated: A Hardcore Tribute to the Cure
Why?
Cave In "Plainsong" (Cure cover)
Bad Luck Thirteen Riot Extravaganza "Pictures of You" (Cure cover)
I hate shit like this, and not just because it's a cover of my least favorite Cure hit ever and not just because it's hardcore. What I hate is the idea of a band badmouthing the types of people most likely to be Cure fans on a tribute album to the Cure. Yeah, we get it, you're cool and above it all and would never shop at Hot Topic although your band name implies otherwise. You showed us!
And, you know, I never do this (or at least I've never done it before), in celebration of my own birthday, I've decided to repost a track I posted ages ago. It's one of my favorite Cure covers and you can find it here.
From Fictional: A Tribute to the Cure
From Give Me the Cure: DC Bands Cover the Cure
By far the most emo/indie of the Cure tributes.
I love Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, don't get me wrong, but oh how I miss Chisel. And this song, as well as any track on The Head on the Door, reminds me of one of the longest make-out sessions of my high school career. I think my then boyfriend (now gay, of course) let the cassette play through on automatic reverse about three times as we cavorted in his basement.
From Into a Sea of Cure (an Argentine tribute to The Cure)
From Pink Pig—The Whole Cure in the Mirror
A whole bunch of Cure fans you've most likely never heard of covering every Cure song that exists.
Many of my favorite Cure songs were B-sides, and this is my all-time favorite. Well, not this version, which is overwrought to say the least.
Another B-side that makes me nostalgic. Sorta. My freshman year of high school, we hit the gymnastics portion of the semester and my crazy friend who was on the school dance squad made us do a routine to this song (the original, of course, as this version did not exist back then). That she chose it was cool I guess, but gym-class gymnastics routines? Not so much.
From 15 Imaginary Songs: A Tribute to the Cure
From Disintegrated: A Hardcore Tribute to the Cure
Why?
I hate shit like this, and not just because it's a cover of my least favorite Cure hit ever and not just because it's hardcore. What I hate is the idea of a band badmouthing the types of people most likely to be Cure fans on a tribute album to the Cure. Yeah, we get it, you're cool and above it all and would never shop at Hot Topic although your band name implies otherwise. You showed us!
And, you know, I never do this (or at least I've never done it before), in celebration of my own birthday, I've decided to repost a track I posted ages ago. It's one of my favorite Cure covers and you can find it here.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Chameleon, Comedian, Corinthian and Caricature.
I'm a terrible music blogger, I know. Updating only once a week? That sucks, right? But, man, I don't know how all the other MP3 bloggers do it. Daily updates? Huge essays? I'm a total slacker and I can't even find the time for that level of dedication.
I'm really going to try to post more frequently. My birthday is a week from today and I generally make my New Year's Resolutions then. Maybe I can up it to two or three entries a week for a while. Unless there's something really good on TV ...
El Nino "Reptile"< (Lisa Germano cover)
This is just one of hundreds of songs I've snagged from Musical Family Tree, a massive, ever-growing collection of MP3s from Bloomington/Indianapolis-based acts. Some of these bands are still performing and some are now defunct, but many are the bands I spent a lot of time adoring in the early/mid-1990s when I was in Bloomington. And not just because they were my friends and acquaintances. El Nino was one of said bands. And so was Lisa Germano, for a while. I miss Bloomington.
If you have the time and interest, you might find a handful of interesting covers by interesting acts in the giant MFT catalog and it would take me forever to locate, list and link them all, but I'll point you in the direction of a few:
1. Vess Ruhtenberg (United States Three, among others) and Michelle Marchessault (ex Gerunds and Sardina, both of which you should check out) performing "Blue Moon"
2. Sardina performing "Me and My Arrow," which I originally posted around this time last year.
3. Admiral Stereo has covers of "Gouge Away" and "Honey Pie," among others.
I hope at least some of you take the time to check out the music offered at that site. Jeb's got a real labor of love going on there, and I for one couldn't be more appreciative.
Five in Love "Smooth" (Santana/Rob Thomas cover)
I can't hear any version of this song without remembering the horrifically hot summer of 1999 in which I was commuting daily to the Borders in Deerfield, where I briefly worked as an interim manager. One of the worst summers of my life, though I didn't really know that at the time. I think I'm over it enough to enjoy this swingy cover though. I think ...
In Flames "Land of Confusion" (Genesis cover)
I never thought I'd say this, but more and more, I enjoy Swedish death metal.
The Minus 5 "Wicked Annabella" (Kinks cover)
A competent cover by Scott McCaughey's ever-changing chamber-pop collective. Man, I love Ken Stringfellow.
The London Punkharmonic Orchestra "Ever Fallen In Love?" (Buzzcocks cover)
Ah. Classical punk covers. Were they the catalyst for all those ridiculous "String Quartet Tributes" out there nowadays? Perhaps. But I'm not holding it against them. Hell, anything is better than the Fine Young Cannibals version.
Pop Will Eat Itself "Games Without Frontiers" (Peter Gabriel cover)
In my college dorm there was a very friendly, straight-laced looking girl named Erika who was really into bands like PWEI. It kind of freaked me out. In a good way. I like this cover way more than the original, but that's not saying much since I'm one of the few people who seem to be in the "Oh my God, I fucking hate Peter Gabriel" camp.
Replicants "The Bewlay Brothers" (David Bowie cover)
I didn't really embrace the Replicants at first, but I see now the error of my ways. This is one of my favorite Bowie songs covered in a really engaging way. Yay for that.
Ushuaia Rocks! "Pink Moon" (Nick Drake cover)
Argentine punk bands. I can never get enough.
Also: Remember the database of Smiths/Morrissey covers I posted a few entries ago? Well, here are a couple for other acts. (Note: These are databases of INFORMATION. I'm not implying that you can find the actual tracks there.)
Dylan covers
U2 covers
I'm really going to try to post more frequently. My birthday is a week from today and I generally make my New Year's Resolutions then. Maybe I can up it to two or three entries a week for a while. Unless there's something really good on TV ...
This is just one of hundreds of songs I've snagged from Musical Family Tree, a massive, ever-growing collection of MP3s from Bloomington/Indianapolis-based acts. Some of these bands are still performing and some are now defunct, but many are the bands I spent a lot of time adoring in the early/mid-1990s when I was in Bloomington. And not just because they were my friends and acquaintances. El Nino was one of said bands. And so was Lisa Germano, for a while. I miss Bloomington.
If you have the time and interest, you might find a handful of interesting covers by interesting acts in the giant MFT catalog and it would take me forever to locate, list and link them all, but I'll point you in the direction of a few:
1. Vess Ruhtenberg (United States Three, among others) and Michelle Marchessault (ex Gerunds and Sardina, both of which you should check out) performing "Blue Moon"
2. Sardina performing "Me and My Arrow," which I originally posted around this time last year.
3. Admiral Stereo has covers of "Gouge Away" and "Honey Pie," among others.
I hope at least some of you take the time to check out the music offered at that site. Jeb's got a real labor of love going on there, and I for one couldn't be more appreciative.
I can't hear any version of this song without remembering the horrifically hot summer of 1999 in which I was commuting daily to the Borders in Deerfield, where I briefly worked as an interim manager. One of the worst summers of my life, though I didn't really know that at the time. I think I'm over it enough to enjoy this swingy cover though. I think ...
I never thought I'd say this, but more and more, I enjoy Swedish death metal.
A competent cover by Scott McCaughey's ever-changing chamber-pop collective. Man, I love Ken Stringfellow.
Ah. Classical punk covers. Were they the catalyst for all those ridiculous "String Quartet Tributes" out there nowadays? Perhaps. But I'm not holding it against them. Hell, anything is better than the Fine Young Cannibals version.
In my college dorm there was a very friendly, straight-laced looking girl named Erika who was really into bands like PWEI. It kind of freaked me out. In a good way. I like this cover way more than the original, but that's not saying much since I'm one of the few people who seem to be in the "Oh my God, I fucking hate Peter Gabriel" camp.
I didn't really embrace the Replicants at first, but I see now the error of my ways. This is one of my favorite Bowie songs covered in a really engaging way. Yay for that.
Argentine punk bands. I can never get enough.
Also: Remember the database of Smiths/Morrissey covers I posted a few entries ago? Well, here are a couple for other acts. (Note: These are databases of INFORMATION. I'm not implying that you can find the actual tracks there.)
Monday, June 13, 2005
Weirdo-electro Monday
I've been amused by industrial and electronic covers lately, so I'm foisting them upon you. Some of these are Faustesque or Negativlandy and some are just industrogoth techno and so on. All are pretty strange.
Dimthings "Superstition" (Stevie Wonder cover)
Plastics "Last Train to Clarksville" (Monkees cover)
Coercion "Cars" (Gary Numan cover)
Jeff and Jane Hudson "The Girl [Boy] from Ipanema" (de Moraes/Gimbel/Jobim)
Sun Yama "Subterranean Homesick Blues" (Bob Dylan cover)
Second Delay "Born to be Alive" (Patrick Hernandez cover)
Dark Distant Spaces "Space Age Love Song" (Flock of Seagulls cover)
Familiar Faces "Mad World" (Tears for Fears cover)
Battery "Gangsta's Paradise" (Coolio cover)
Pinker Tone "Louie Louie" (Kingsmen cover)
Sista Mannen Pa Jordon "I Want You to Want Me" (Cheap Trick cover)
Turner "Right by Your Side" (Eurythmics cover)
Now, I'm all for a band covering a song and making it their own, but I'm not so down with someone taking the lyrics from a song and completely rewriting the music. But whatever.
Now, I'm all for a band covering a song and making it their own, but I'm not so down with someone taking the lyrics from a song and completely rewriting the music. But whatever.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
I have to let that raga drop.
Sorry again for not hosting my own tracks yet this week, my ISP at home has been having issues, to say the least. [And I recently acquired a DVR unit and a record player, both of which have been monopolizing my time of late.] Until my ISP fixes itself, I hope you don't mind that I keep directing you elsewhere. For instance:
Reader Nik directed me to Music for Maniacs, an MP3 blog dedicated to outsider music which, as such, features a ton of weirdo covers. How I was unaware of this awesome blog previously is beyond me, since it's right up my alley. Right now, there are some pretty cool offerings, including but not limited to Rachid Taha's excellent cover of "Rock the Casbah," which I've been meaning to post myself for a while.
Reader Jonathan alerted me to the existence of Like a Version, a compilation of live covers recorded by Australian youth radio station triple j, which I hope to acquire soon.
Alos, I suspect many of you do this already, but if you're not getting the Coverville podcasts, you're really missing out.
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
A light that never goes out.
I'm not sure why I've waited this long to hip all you Smiths/Morrissey fans to Our Frank's serious obsession with amassing the largest database of Smiths/Moz tributes and covers, but better late than never, yes? I've been stealing helping myself to his files for years now on my preferred P2P, and I don't see why I should hold back on alerting you to the vastness of his collection. Impressive. And a little scary. But fucking awesome.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Baby, check this out, I've got something to say.
Sorry about the lack of posts, time keeps slipping away from me. I've been planning on posting a handful of relatively popular songs that are covers that no one seems to know are covers, but I got sidetracked.
That idea, however, was partially inspired by They Might Be Giants' version of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)," which a friend referenced the other day as "the greatest song TMBG ever wrote." Yeah, well, except it was originally a quirky little hit from the '50s and they didn't write it.
Then I started thinking about how much I used to love TMBG, and started some random Googling that led me to a few TMBG-related covers already available on the ol' Internet.
For instance:
Here you can download a reworking of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople" entitled "The Disarmament Song" as sung by Ellen Bernfeld, who was the voice of the Misfits' Pizzazz on Jem and the Holograms.
The downloads section of the Media page over at the celtic/bluegrass/pop-rock band Carbon Leaf's site is full of covers, including a live version of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)."
If you scroll down to "Non-Album Tracks" on this page, you can find a scary, off-key version of "Older" by the Snot Patties. There's a Modest Mouse cover there as well.
A band called Very Low Sodium has a pretty good cover of "Destination Moon" on its site.
There was a tribute CD available at one time called We Might Be Giants Too, which I believe began as a downloadable album via TMBG.org and which I don't have. Then there was a rumor that a second was coming out. Don't know if that ever happened, but you can hear one of its potential tracks—"Moving to the Sun" as performed by Father Bingo and the Legion of Decency (as well as a Dead Milkmen cover)—here.
A hip new TMBG tribute CD is hitting the streets soon, and you can hear snippets of a few of the tracks by visiting its My Space page. I'm particularly excited to see that the CD's producer has recorded his own poppy version of my favorite TMBG track, "Narrow My Eyes." And the Hotel Lights are doing another fave, "The End of the Tour." Exciting.
On a weirder tip, I wish I had the money right now to buy steel-drum cover band (who knew?) Apocalypso's album, because I am positively dying to hear their version of "Man, It's So Loud in Here." (You can hear a few of the other non-TMBG covers over at CD Baby.)
So, yeah, that's what I have for you today. Hopefully I'll get a minute tonight to post some actual tracks for you, TMBG-related and otherwise. Hope this tides you over a bit.
That idea, however, was partially inspired by They Might Be Giants' version of "Istanbul (Not Constantinople)," which a friend referenced the other day as "the greatest song TMBG ever wrote." Yeah, well, except it was originally a quirky little hit from the '50s and they didn't write it.
Then I started thinking about how much I used to love TMBG, and started some random Googling that led me to a few TMBG-related covers already available on the ol' Internet.
For instance:
So, yeah, that's what I have for you today. Hopefully I'll get a minute tonight to post some actual tracks for you, TMBG-related and otherwise. Hope this tides you over a bit.
Monday, May 30, 2005
We can be like they are. Come on, baby!
I've spent a good part of the weekend making my friend Jovan a multi-disc compilation of "the gayest stuff in Liza's PC"—see here and here—and I just realized I should post some stuff here too. My holiday weekend was the lamest ever. I'm sure there were barbecues and get-togethers and goings on, I just happened not to be invited to any. So, lest you believe me "cool," now you know the truth. I'm a sad, sad soul. And I will die alone. But Blue Oyster Cult knows how to console me and ready me for the end, yes? (Sorry for the lack of umlauts. I'm lazy about my HTML, yo.)
The Beautiful South "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (Blue Oyster Cult cover)
Fey British jazz-pop death.
Clint Ruin and Lydia Lunch "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (Blue Oyster Cult cover)
Punk-staple death.
Apollo 440 "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (Blue Oyster Cult cover)
Techno-pop death.
Unto Ashes "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (Blue Oyster Cult cover)
Pretty, ethereal, folk-goth death.
H.I.M. "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (Blue Oyster Cult cover)
Hard-rock glam-goth Finnish death.
Andy McCoy and Pelle Miljoona "Kuin Romeo Ja Julia [(Don't Fear) The Reaper]" (Blue Oyster Cult cover)
Mainstream Finnish death.
Goo Goo Dolls "(Don't Fear) The Reaper" (Blue Oyster Cult cover)
"Grunge" death. (Surprisingly slightly more punk-sounding than the Ruin/Lunch cover.)
Oh, and thanks again for all the Threadless love. By the way, they have a few brand-new geektastic designs up now, if you're interested. The $10 sale ends Sunday.
Fey British jazz-pop death.
Punk-staple death.
Techno-pop death.
Pretty, ethereal, folk-goth death.
Hard-rock glam-goth Finnish death.
Mainstream Finnish death.
"Grunge" death. (Surprisingly slightly more punk-sounding than the Ruin/Lunch cover.)
Oh, and thanks again for all the Threadless love. By the way, they have a few brand-new geektastic designs up now, if you're interested. The $10 sale ends Sunday.
Friday, May 27, 2005
Other voices, other rooms.
Monday, May 23, 2005
The only thing I ever really wanted to say was wrong.
I used to really have a thing for Scrawl (and P.I.L., come to think of it) back in the day.
Australian band I'd never heard of covers Australian band I wish I'd never heard of.
Not different enough from the original (or good enough to exist). But whatever.
Former keyboardist for Mott the Hoople asks some friends to help him create wacky covers and makes up band names to go along with them because we needed a industro-synth version of this so desperately.
Most covers of "Sweet Jane" are syrupy and not at all very different from the original—most of them.
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