There’s a difficulty in trying to pinpoint what exactly is going on when indie bands cover pop hits. There’s a fine line between ironic fake-seriousness and earnest respect for the artist and the material. With their cover of Lady Gaga‘s “Alejandro,” the band Dom walks this line while kicking dirt all over it and blurring those distinctions.
On one hand, in their interview with Billboard, they stated that the song “rips” (this is presumably a good thing). They took some artistic license in adding an accordion to the mix – by one account, this is simply because they thought it would sound good; by another, it’s because Lady Gaga’s Italian. Pick whatever logic you want.
On the other hand, the eponymous frontman’s flourishes and impersonations seem to be mocking Gaga and Billboard and the listener. It’s difficult to tell whether he’s being genuine with the theatrics, but it’s irrelevant; these are the only moments when it seems like Dom is having any fun or doing anything other than phoning it in for the sake of publicity.
Perhaps he’s not to be blamed, though. It is called Billboard for a reason, after all.
Dom – Alejandro (Lady Gaga cover)
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