Meet Friko, a band that first began when some Evanston, IL grads got together and decided to start a project. The group currently consists of members Niko Kapetan and Bailey Minzenberger. The duo recently released a Radiohead tune tied to a European tour announcement. Continue reading »
John Scalzi a musician, blogger, and writer, recently released a cover of Radiohead’s “Fake Plastic Trees” after finishing his latest novel, posting the cover under a picture of a green plastic watering can.
The original tune was released by Radiohead in 1995 on the album The Bends. And while the initial set of lyrics (which are about everything being fake and made of plastic) initially make it sound like it’s an environmentalist’s song, “Fake Plastic Trees” is actually about people being artificial. Thom Yorke called it “a breakdown of sorts”. Continue reading »
The emotional highpoint of the Grammys—well, other than Tracy Chapman’s return (covers-adjacent!)–was Annie Lennox’s tribute to Sinéad O’Connor during the In Memoriam. Bonus points because she was backed by two longtime bandmembers of Prince (who, of course, wrote the song), Wendy and Lisa. The teardrop on Lennox’s eye was very Prince, and the political statement at the end was very Sinéad. Continue reading »
One of Radiohead‘s most unique and distinct songs from Radiohead’s Kid A, “Motion Picture Soundtrack” is a ballad that stands out in their oeuvre both for its unusual arrangement and for how long it took the band to release it. Written before they ever released anything, they had demoed it at least once for a previous album. For Kid A, their turn-of-the-millennium departure from guitar-based rock, they created the song around a pump organ, a instrument they never used before. Guitarist/arranger Johnny Greenwood claimed that the harp-dominated backing arrangement was influenced by ’50s Disney films. This is a long way from “Just.”
Cigarettes After Sex are a Texas dream-pop band who have released two albums and an EP in the last decade. They have tackled both AOR and alternative rock covers in the past, so something like a strange Radiohead ballad feels right up their alley. Continue reading »
Elly-May Barnes is the daughter of rock star Jimmy Barnes and has done everything from backup vocals with her father to cabaret. Now, she’s launched her solo career with her version of Radiohead’s “Creep.” This iteration of the tune is oceanic, with waves of different timbres coming and going in the intro. Piano, panned synths, and a gentle rattle-snake-like shaker all have their say. And then comes her voice. Continue reading »
You’re going to notice a theme here. We have the usual grab-bag included below (see “Best of the Rest”), but, for our featured covers up top, it’s all Sinéad. There were so many wonderful tributes performed, often in concert and always powerful and moving. Many did “Nothing Compares 2 U,” technically a Prince cover but really a Sinéad song now and forever, but others selected from elsewhere in her catalog. Of this one, which just came out Tuesday, Amanda Palmer wrote, “This song means a great deal to me, as does the artist who penned it, along with everything she still stands for.” A portion of the money from sales will be donated to The Irish Women’s Survivor Support Network. Continue reading »