Aleah Fitzwater is a rogue classical musician from Bedford, MI (a rural town between the cities of Detroit and Toledo). At a young age, she found herself taken by woodwind instruments- particularly, the flute. She continued her musical exploration at the University of Toledo where she received a bachelor's in instrumental music education. She currently works as a freelance music writer and recording artist and also runs two Etsy shops. When she’s not working, she’s probably playing with her Yorkie (Presto) or rearranging a song for a ridiculously large flute choir. Follow her at https://aleahfitzwater.com for more blog content, or https://www.instagram.com/aleahflute to hear classical spins on popular songs.
Glaive (aka Ash Blue Gutierrez) is a singer-songwriter, producer, and rapper who is currently signed to Interscope Records. His cover of Death Cab for Cutie’s “I Will Follow You Into the Dark,” recorded for Spotify Singles, brings distinct dissonances, subtle rhythmic variations, and vibrant harmonies. But the truth of the matter is that the dark nature of “I Will Follow You…” has always pulled at heartstrings. The lyrics focus heavily on death’s presence in our lives. And Glaive has pulled this one off with some real finesse.Continue reading »
The heavy-metal band/talk show group Two Minutes to Late Night, covers The Smith’s”This Charming Man” in their latest video. It was pretty gutsy for them to take this tune by the ever-popular English rock band and make it go punk. And this wasn’t just a Two Minutes cover. My Chemical Romance member Frank Lero (guitar, backup vox) also took the stage, along with Nestor Chumak of Canadian rock band PUP, and comedian David Wain on drums.
The 1984 original is grooving, indie, and Beachy, whereas Morrissey’s vocals are emotive and melodic. While it’s difficult to derive much meaning upon first listen, the song is actually a story from the first-person perspective about a man who gets a flat tire on the hillside. Then, a man driving an expensive car drives by and offers him a ride. That all being said, the tune is much deeper than that: The original was intended to reach gay audiences, and showcase the softer side of masculinity.
This new version is driving, catchy, and angsty. Its yell-singing, standard punk beat, and distorted guitar are certainly a contrast to the original. That being said, the lead vocals harken back to that British indie-rock original ever so slightly.
22-year-old buzzy indie singer Beabadoobee picked a real deep Strokes cut to cover: “The Adults are Talking.” The original comes from the band’s 2020 album The New Abnormal, and her cover from her Antitode live session and is included on her a deluxe version of her newest album Beatopia.
The way the fingerpicked guitar section is mixed in this one gives us acoustic Radiohead vibes. On the other hand, the plaintive vocals reveal the lyrics in a new, clear way. As a whole, this cover reminds us of a high school girl singing on her bed, contemplating life. While Beabadoobee doesn’t reinvent the wheel here with her arrangement or musical texture, maybe she doesn’t need to.
The Strokes surprised audiences with their live cover of Clario’s “Sofia” in their show at the NOS Alive festival, mixed in with a bit of Harry Styles’ “As It Was.” Many people have said that “Sofia” sounds like The Strokes (Clario has been a long-time fan of the band, so the Strokes cover was a sort of a nod back to Clario, who had to cancel their performance at the same festival.
But you might this cover to sound more, well, like The Strokes. Lead singer Julian Casablancas added a lot of autotune and reverb to this one. While the original “Sofia” has a good dose of vocal effects, they really took the FX to the next level. Arguably, far past the point of seriousness; we can’t even understand what he’s saying. The band starts off with an exposed drumkit and crazy vocal effects right off the bat in “Sofia”. They stay true to the bass line and running-eight-note guitar line. Halfway through the tune, they transition seamlessly into “As It Was.”
What do you think of the stylistic choice of this mashup? Let us know in the comments.
George Perris is a Greek-French singer-songwriter who speaks (and sings) fluently in many languages including English, French, Spanish, and Greek. His latest cover of a Billie Eilish song, “My Future” feels jazzy in almost a Michael Buble or Josh Groban sort of way. And while we’re not sure that many alt-pop fans can get behind it, if you like modern jazz-pop ballads, you’re in for a luscious tune.Continue reading »
CHELS is a dynamic singer that you probably haven’t heard of – yet. Promoting her debut single “The Puppet,” she also performed a stellar live cover of Radiohead’s “No Surprises” on Dutch radio station NPO Radio 2.
Singer Chelsea Hegener uses her instrument with great skill, rich, melancholy, and complex. As she makes her way towards the end of the chorus before the B section, her accompanying guitarist peppers in a bit of lower harmony. This is when my heart start to melt. As a whole, the strummed guitar has a lively and warm timbre which, in brief moments is contrasted by a bit of intricate picking. This accompaniment was the perfect blank page for the main vocalist to paint all over. Watch it below.
