Dec 052017
 
seal sinatra cover

The 1990s were some very good years for the British soul singer Seal. He rattled off a string of hits, and one-upped Val Kilmer by including his “Kiss from a Rose” on the Batman Forever soundtrack, largely outshining the Caped Crusader.

Now that Seal is nearing the autumn of his career, he did what most pop singers whose hit-making days are in the rearview generally do: release an album of standards. Aptly and un-ironically, titled Standards, the collection includes a version of “It Was a Very Good Year,” a classic song that he managed to turn into one of his own. Continue reading »

Jun 302017
 

That’s A Cover? explores cover songs that you may have thought were originals.

Come on people now
Smile on your brother
Everybody get together
Try to love one another
Right now

Wow,  that sounds naïve in today’s world, doesn’t it? Watch the news or go on social media and all we see are people screaming at each other, dividing each other and hating each other. Not to mention, why only smile on your brother? What about sisters? And the gender binary should be rejected anyway, right?

In any case, the Youngbloods‘ “Get Together” has become an easy soundtrack shorthand when referring to the optimism of the 1960s (much as Buffalo Springfield‘s “For What It’s Worth” or Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young‘s “Ohio” is used to illustrate the disillusionment and violence of that decade). You just have to hear the opening notes, and you are transported to a world of flower-festooned long hair, tie-dye, fringed vests and pot smoke. Thus, the song’s ubiquity in films, TV and advertising. 

Continue reading »