5 cool covers that almost outdo the original

Somehow I like to post covers of popular songs. I don’t intend to but I stumble across them (or madly search for a good alternative).

1. Original: Teenage Dream – Katy Perry

Cover: Glee. Everybody must have heard this already because it became Glee’s most popular download on iTunes ever. Perry herself admired it; said it made her cry. For anyone who cares to hear an acoustic version.

2. Original: Brother Louie – Hot Chocolate

Cover: Stories. This one was just 6 months after UK’s Hot Chocolate released their track in 1973 to get to the top ten in the UK singles chart. Yet the cover by Stories reached #1 on Billboard Hot 100 in USA. On a side note, Modern Talking’s Brother Louie has nothing to do with this, but has the same title.

3. Original: What Makes You Beautiful – One Direction.

Cover: Boyce Avenue. I know what you’re thinking… anything will be better than the original, but the truth is that Boyce is remarkable at acoustic renditions. They manage to make any song sound so gentle and romantic. These guys deserve a separate post of their own. They are also popular! They have already gone on worldwide tours.

4. Original:  Angel of the Morning – written and composed by Chip Taylor.

Cover: Juice Newton. It’s hard to say who made the very first release because of its complicated history. But to my ears nothing is better than Juice’s. Not Chip’s own version, not by Merrilee Rush, Olivia Newton John, Dusty Springfield, and dare I say it, not even Nina Simone. It got to #4 in the Billboard Hot 100 and #1 in the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart in 1981.

Sadly, there are only 2 things that immediately come to my mind when I hear this artist’s name

 

 

 

 

5. Original: Someone Like You – Adele

Cover: Matt Jackson. Okay, this is not better, but it’s a nice variety in a male voice. This one was quite a challenge. Originally I was going to post youtube’s TheStrangerSpeaks version but due to copyright the video went private 😦 Anyway, Matt does a a pretty darn good job (the high parts need work).

100 posts Special!

WordPress tells me this is my 100th post. This calls for something special (because I don’t know when/if I’ll get to another e-milestone). So I have been saving this one.

Very dear and I am not even sure why. It is my parachute of tranquility and I deploy it sparingly. The lyrics don’t add up but strangely it does not matter to me. Only doubt is that sometimes I am not sure if the guitar riff at the end was necessary. Either way it’s a calm delight.

Blonde on Blonde by Nada Surf.

Two happy songs

Two songs sure to make you smile.

Feist’s music videos are one-shot wonders. There is something quite feminine and lyrical about her songs (so you’ve been warned). This Canadian is also part of the edgy and unique indie band Broken Social Scene.

Credit for introducing this song to me goes to Mr. Dave

 

 

Everything about the Norwegian duo Kings of Convenience is independent, smooth, and calm. I mean everything: vocals, music, music videos, and even the way they look. How do you dislike someone that comes up with a fantastic album title like Declaration of Dependence? It is hard to tell when which of the two stops singing and the other begins. As much as I admire all that, most of their songs seem to lack a defining catch — something that can attach the melody to your mind. I wish them well and hope that either they or I change our musical taste a bit.

From all their tracks, I’d Rather Dance With You is my favorite. Here everything that makes them unique fits perfectly. This has the catch!

Easy listening

Long time no post. Partially due to exams but more so for other reasons. Ennui is a terrible thing.

Let me get back on the road with some easy listening, words that might represent my mood (past and perhaps future).

 

Billboard song sessions are always terrific. They give the same song such a warm, lived-in feeling.

If you like this then you might also try Young The Giant’s other more quiet track, Strings.

 

To conclude with something a little more optimistic; who cares if it features a woman that loves everything neon pink?

George Barnett – 17 Days

17 Days front cover by Mikey Welsh

The Brit was 17 when he wrote the tracks for the album. He also played many of instruments used — drums, bass, guitars, piano, trumpets, harmonica.  The dexterity reminds me of Gotye. 17 Days was “recorded in a bedroom, a living room, a bungalow, a church.”

There is a very fresh energy in this album — best of pop but swerved in a fresh organic energy. I don’t know what that means, but try some of my favorites from the album and you might find out.

 

 

To hear more tracks like Apocolade, The other girl interlude, Thoughts, and definitely the namesake track itself, 17 Days, wander over here.

Best from Gotye’s Making Mirrors

I watched Somebody I Used to Know before but it struck my interest when I heard it the second time after it was posted on Mr. Beans’ blog (funny man, he is). So I decided to try more works by the quite popular Belgian-Australian singer, songwriter, vintage electronic keyboard collector.

I did not like the song In Your Light and I was happy to find he also considered it a piece of crud. The producers liked it and did not want to let it go so he made himself spend a week trying to write a new song each day so he could replace it.   A result of that is I Feel Better (love it, cool into) but In Your Light still remained. Oh well.

Here are 3 more of my favorites from the terrific album released last year.

“This is the first album where I’m proud of every lyric.” Indeed, all the words reflect so much experience and honesty.

Dig Your Own Hole

Easy Way Out

Save Me

And it is pronounced “gore-ti-yeah”.

Pop Friday

But before that, an excerpt from a thoughtful freshly pressed post at Truth and Cake:

 It gets even more complicated when we attempt to stack our aspirations on top of one another like building blocks. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the…you know the rest. Each building block affects the one below it, increasing the pressure. Commitment affects breezy love, babies affect commitment, personal fulfillment affects friendships, money affects everything.

Now for the pop.

1. Kind of irritating to read the same comment on almost all of Carly Rae Jepsen’s videos, “I can’t believe she’s 26! Looks 16!” However, I agree and am amazed myself. Prized genes. As for the artist, I see potential. The music has catchy bass and the video a different kind of end.

2. Leave it to Coldplay to come up with unique video concepts. They had already shot the video by Hype Williams but later decided to scrap that and do a new one with old collaborator Mat Whitecross. It really is the band members inside the pachyderm suits and it starts with Chris Martin, who also came up with the new video’s story. This is the band’s second song to reach no. 1 on the UK Singles chart after Viva La Vida in 2008. In the video, I laughed out at 1:12.

3. How does the missus compare…

4. My favorite (and only) Goldfrapp song. Shot in Addington Square in Camberwell, South London.  Whatever this guy is on… I want some!

Random awesome goldies

Been some time since I posted goldies. Other bloggers like Matthew from Music Court has a diverse poll contest of sorts on goldies albums going on right now. So, here are some songs that come to my mind.

1. Very clappy and happy. Reached #5 on the charts in 1964

 

2. You have to have heard it at sometime.

 

3. This takes the tempo down. Another classic.

 

4. This one you might not have heard but it has a very catchy melody. Written by Bowie but released by Mott the Hoople in 1972. Bowie’s version seems like the record player is stuck on drag; so the original is better. Rolling Stones magazine agrees with me because in 2004 they put it in 253 among a list of 500 greatest songs ever.

A peek at the 90s

There’s something light blue jeans about 90s music, it does not fit at all occasions like dark blue does but you still hold on to it for those carefree days. Today is a carefree day.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s – Deep Blue Something

 

Brighter than Sunshine – Aqualung. (I will Not post the Kutcher version.)

 

Breathless – The Corrs

Norway

It’s hard to dislike much of anything about Scandinavia. Sometimes I think it is like Neverland but without pixies and with whaling, so I know it is not perfect. But I can dream.

Speaking of dream, Beach House provides fine examples of a genre called dream pop. Tranquil and airy. Try Zebra.

For a real treat, listen to their hit single Norway which is utterly spellbinding from 3:25 onwards; an excellent buildup to a perfect conclusion. You could also hear it as you watch the panoramic time lapse video on Norway.

 

 

PS. I laughed out so loud when I saw Jim Rash mimic the silly move by Angelina Jolie when she presented the Oscar. Definitely a highlight.