Full Albums: The Beatles’ ‘A Hard Day’s Night’

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Oct 142022
 

Full Albums features covers of every track off a classic album. Got an idea for a future pick? Leave a note in the comments!

Hard Day's Night covers

After watching all eight hours of Peter Jackson’s Get Back documentary, and another three hours of interviews with Jackson about the making of Get Back I had to put on A Hard Day’s Night to restore balance. I had to get back to a time when John Lennon was firing on all creative cylinders and Paul McCartney was slacking.

In early-to-mid 1964, Lennon was engaged, prolific, and self-confident enough that the Beatles finally released a full album with all original material: AHDN. No covers! All 13 tracks are Lennon–McCartney compositions, officially, but 10 of them are really Lennon’s. And they are all good to really good Lennon songs, too, except for the ones that are great, like “If I Fell” and the title track.

If McCartney’s contributions were few in number, two of them loom large in the catalog: “Can’t Buy Me Love” became the album’s first #1 single, while his ballad “And I Love Her” stands with McCartney’s best songs of any period. Mostly, though, Paul was not quite finding his stride in ‘64, much like John in the Get Back period.
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Remembering Freddie Mercury Through Covers, 20 Years Later

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Nov 212011
 

The King is dead, long live the Queen. This Thursday marks the 20th anniversary of the death of Freddie Mercury, Queen frontman and rock mega-idol. It would be ridiculous to even try to quantify Mercury’s impact on pop culture. The whimsical force behind Queen’s unique style and aesthetic, many point to him as one of the best performers in the history of popular music. And don’t forget, his sometimes enigmatic voice brought alternative sexuality into the public conversation. Continue reading »

Review: Various Artists, ‘Rave On Buddy Holly’

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Jun 272011
 

Rave On Buddy Holly, arguably the most hyped cover album of the year, finally drops this week. Rampant previews hinted that the album would be something special, and the A-list lineup of artists doesn’t disappoint. Rave On is a solid, carefully curated collection of tracks from Buddy Holly‘s surprisingly extensive catalog, a worthy tribute to the rock pioneer.

Choosing standouts from such a varied and high-profile set of covers is a challenge. Some of the best moments come from contributors who chose to keep their covers low-key. Dan Auerbach’s vocals gracefully carry the Black Keys‘ quiet, percussion-based opener “Dearest,” while Fiona Apple and Jon Brion trip through a pitch-perfect duet in “Everyday.” My Morning Jacket offers the elegantly subdued “True Love Ways,” embellished with a lovely string section. Continue reading »

Listen: She & Him, Fiona Apple Cover Buddy Holly

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Jun 102011
 

You know the story by now. Rave On Buddy Holly drops later this month and the label has been releasing a steady stream of preview tracks for weeks now. Well, here are two more.

First, She & Him deliver a by-the-books cover of “Oh Boy.” The duet angle adds a little beachy vibe, but otherwise it’s not a huge departure (via Stereogum). Fiona Apple and Jon Brion’s version of “Everyday,” on the other hand, offers a quiet acoustic breath of fresh open air. The simple melody shines through with quiet strumming and xylophone.

Check out both tracks below. Here are links to all the previously released songs:
• The Black Keys cover “Dearest”
• Modest Mouse covers “That’ll Be the Day”
• Cee-Lo Green covers “You’re So Square (Baby I Don’t Care)”
• Paul McCartney covers “It’s So Easy”
• Julian Casablancas covers “Rave On”
• Florence and the Machine covers “Not Fade Away”
• My Morning Jacket covers “True Love Ways”

She & Him – Oh Boy (Buddy Holly cover)

Fiona Apple and Jon Brion – Everyday (Buddy Holly cover)

Rave On Buddy Holly drops June 28th.

Review: Mayer Hawthorne, ‘Impressions: The Covers EP’

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May 182011
 

Mayer Hawthorne didn’t crash onto the scene the way other soul revivalists did in 2008. Sharon Jones and Raphael Saadiq cast big shadows that year that proved difficult for other soul revivalists to get out from under. Still, Hawthorne managed to get his voice out there and people tuned in to listen found themselves impressed. “Just Ain’t Gonna Work Out” became a stylish indie hit, shepherding many nerdy white kids into the enticing world of soul music. Hawthorne’s debut album A Strange Arrangement managed to propel him onto the scene, but this new covers EP will give Mayer Hawthorne the sticking power he needs to become an indie powerhouse. If nothing else, it will carry fans over until the long-awaited release of his follow up album How Do You Do this fall. Continue reading »

Download: Mayer Hawthorne Covers Chromeo, Isley Bros on Covers EP

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May 122011
 

A couple days ago we told you about Mayer Hawthorne’s new covers EP and now he’s dropped the whole set for free. It’s called Impressions (though, ironically, they’re not one of the R&B groups he covers). Over six tracks, the Detroit producer-turned-singer positions himself as an archivist par excellence, digging up forgotten cuts from yesteryear (The Festivals’ “You’ve Got the Makings of a Lover”) and nodding to peer funk revivalists (Chromeo’s “Don’t Turn the Lights On”). Continue reading »

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