Sep 282011
 

Tyler Ramsey, best known as the lead guitarist for alt-rockers Band of Horses, released his third album of mellow solo acoustic tracks this week, entitled The Valley Wind. In anticipation of the release date, Tyler performed a chapel session for I Am Fuel You Are Friends, playing tracks from the record, including a cover of the modern pop standard “All Through The Night.” Written by Pittsburgh singer-songwriter Jules Shear, the song has already been covered by the likes of The Cars and, most famously, Cyndi Lauper on her 1984 debut. Lauper’s recording became a Top 10 single in May 1984, making it one of her most famous songs and even prompting an acoustic re-recording in 2005 that featured a bewildering rap verse from Shaggy.

Ramsey’s cover goes in an opposite direction. While Lauper kept the original’s midtempo bounciness, she added a prominent shimmery synth riff and cheesy ’80s drums to give the whole song a shiny, produced feel. Ramsey pares the song down to its core, putting the focus on the addictive vocal melody by accompanying himself only with sparse, simple acoustic guitar picking. In a style that he’s developed in his original songs, Ramsey’s picking pattern sounds both basic and incredibly nuanced, providing a steady background rhythm and incorporating elements of the melody at the same time. His voice strains just enough, giving the performance an emotional quality without straying too far from his range. Download the performance below. (via I Am Fuel You Are Friends)

MP3: Tyler Ramsey – All Through the Night (Jules Shear/Cyndi Lauper cover)
[audio: News0911/28AllThroughtheNight.mp3]


Check out more from Tyler Ramsey on his website.

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