Cover songs are really strange. Sometimes they are so well done that you
could swear that they were written by the band that covered it and not the
one that originally created it. Then of course there are those moments when
some band butchers the hell out of one of your favorite songs and you wonder
why they were even allowed to do such a thing. If that wasn't enough, this
changes with every person. Some people love cover songs just because they
are curious about someone else's take on the material and others are opposed
to the idea of a single note being changed, it's crazy! I am posting three
covers today and I guarantee that a few of you will love one and hate the
other two or vice versa. Enjoy.
:Cedric Bixler Zavala (The Mars Volta) - I've Had It
(Black Flag Cover): This song is from a Black Flag tribute album and
for the very few of you who don't know, Cedric is from At The Drive-In and
the Mars Volta. I must admit that I am more then a little partial to
anything that anyone from the Mars Volta does but in an objective sense this
song is still pretty great. Cedric's voice is as fantastic as always and the
music thrashes away in all of it's Black Flag glory for the entire 1:22
length of the song, I especially love the scream that lasts about the last
12 seconds. This is the only song that I have heard from this compilation
disc but I do know that it does contain some other contributions from Henry
Rollins, Exene Cervenka, Hank III, and Iggy Pop.
:Be Your Own Pet - Bicycle Race (Queen Cover):
When I first saw this my immediate response was that they were going to turn
the song into some crazy incomprehensible jumble of what was once a Queen
creation, and this is coming from someone who very much likes Be Your Own
Pet. Of course I was very wrong (could you not tell by me posting this?) and
I have found myself listening to this pretty often. The band does justice to
the music and Jemina Pearl really stands out in this as she restrains
herself from doing any spastic shrieking. My favorite part is at the 1:30
mark when the second half of the song kicks in.
:Bright Eyes - Mushaboom (Feist Cover): I
decided to post this one up because I wanted to share something that was not
a cover of a "classic" song. Sure, there are a million different bands that
are more obscure covering more recent songs but this one is special. The
reason why it is special is that it showcases Conor's increased ability to
control his trademark quiver. In his earlier recordings that quiver is
insane and all over the place but in this song it is subdued for a sweeter,
softer sound. This is pretty impressive and I am anxious to hear what else
he has up his sleeve when his new album comes out in 2007.
-
John Laird -
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