Riley Haas

Riley is a digital marketing trainer and strategist in Toronto. He obsessively writes and talks about music and once had a classic rock radio show in university. His favourite cover of all time is Uncle Tupelo's version of the Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog." He's also a movie fan, having seen approximately 4,400 films. You can follow him on Twitter @riley_haas.

Maple Glider Vamps on Folky “You’re Still the One” Cover

 Posted by at 11:56 am  No Responses »
Jan 252023
 
maple glider you're still the one cover

“You’re Still the One” is probably Shania Twain’s most covered song though it’s not her absolute biggest hit. That likely has something to do with how classic the melody seems. And the song seems to attract a certain type of performer and performance. Only a few months ago, we were talking about one stripped-down version of this ballad. And now we’ve got another one for you.

Maple Glider is the pseudonym for Australia’s Tori Zietsch, who released her debut album in 2021. On her new version, Zietsch starts out with a subdued, sedate approach. There are actually more instruments here – drums, bass, organ, backing vocals, one or more guitars – than it sounds like at first, but the song has that stripped-down feel because of the mix and aesthetic. Zietch’s voice is right up front and more than once everything but her voice and her guitar drop out. Continue reading »

Admiral Releases Sedate Folk “Pleasant Valley Sunday” off Monkees Covers Album

 Posted by at 9:24 am  No Responses »
Jan 202023
 
admiral pleasant valley sunday cover

“Pleasant Valley Sunday” was The Monkees’ fourth Top 5 US hit and Gold Record in less than a year, helping cement their stardom. But, though it’s heavily associated with the happy-go-lucky, manufactured TV rock band, the lyrics are utterly different than any of their other big hits. Written by the legendary Goffin-King after the couple moved to the suburbs, the lyrics mock suburban life and cast a critical eye on materialism. They contrast with the upbeat music, music upbeat enough to fool listeners into thinking it’s a happy song. Continue reading »

Scary Pockets Transform “Purple Haze” Into a Funk Jam

 Posted by at 9:00 am  No Responses »
Jan 172023
 
scary pockets purple haze cover

Though “Hey Joe” was his first single, it was “Purple Haze” that really introduced the world to Jimi Hendrix and his revolutionary guitar playing. It’s iconic, but because it’s so iconic, it can be a hard song to reimagine.

Reinterpreting iconic tracks is Scary Pockets‘ thing, of course. The funk band have a long history of reinterpreting famous songs by major artists, fronted by a guest vocalist. So it’s no surprise their take on one of Hendrix’s most famous songs is an interesting one. (It’s fun, too!) Continue reading »

Sondre Lerche’s Annual Christmas Cover Tackles Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero”

 Posted by at 11:46 am  No Responses »
Jan 092023
 
sondre lerche anti-hero cover

Every Christmas for well over a decade now, Sondre Lerche releases a new cover of his favourite pop song of the year. He doesn’t always follow the rules exactly – last year he covered both Lady Gaga and Bob Dylan – but, normally, he releases a distinct cover of a recent pop hit. This year, he’s taking on the biggest hit of autumn 2022, Taylor Swift‘s latest #1, “Anti-Hero.” (Apparently it’s huge on TikTok too.) Continue reading »

 Older Entries