Jul 012011
 

Anyone annoyed with Rolling Stone’s decades-long cover decline might take heart in their latest contest, in which eight obscure bands compete to land a spot on the front of an August issue. Only two artists remain – the Sheepdogs and Lelia Broussard – and readers vote for the winner.

For their last push, both bands covered a classic songwriter with multiple appearances on the Rolling Stone cover. The Sheepdogs took on Neil Young, giving a pleasant country-rock swing on Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young’s “Ohio.” It’s not particularly novel, but they perform it well. Lelia Broussard’s cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark,” on the other hand, branches far afield of the original ‘80s pop sound. Sure, it’s the same approach that Tegan and Sara and Amy McDonald previously used with the cover, but Broussard’s percussive strumming adds a slightly harder undertone than those. Continue reading »

Dec 032010
 

We first caught up with Louisiana native Lelia Broussard back in September for her beautiful, slowed down cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “Dancing in the Dark.” To be honest, it’s a bit surprising we didn’t find her sooner, considering her performance of her equally awesome cover of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies” has garnered nearly two million YouTube views since it was uploaded in 2008. Broussard is talented, and these covers prove it. But when you add into the mix her new take on The White Stripes‘ “Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground”, debuted yesterday at American Songwriter, “talented” no longer does her justice.

Musically, her version of “Dead Leaves” is a lot like the original. Sure, Jack White’s howling guitar is replaced by her single acoustic one, and sure, there are occasional embellishments added to the vocals, but she plays with the same rhythm and passion as The White Stripes did when they first released the track on White Blood Cells way back in 2002. The song is a perfect opportunity for her to showcase her vocal abilities – which are formidable – and in just two minutes and seven seconds of recording, she takes full advantage. Continue reading »

Sep 142010
 

You all submit so many great covers it’s hard to keep up. When we fall behind, we gather the best and brightest in a Submission Roundup.

Our inbox is just about bursting. You guys send so many great songs I wish we could feature them all individually. Sadly, we can’t. Instead, we’re beginning a new feature: Submissions Roundup. It’s just what it sounds like: a barebones post collecting all the submissions we didn’t want to fall through the cracks. Next to each, you’ll find a link to the artist’s website.

Do you have something to submit? Send it along here! Continue reading »