Five Good Covers presents five cross-genre reinterpretations of an oft-covered song.
B. Mitchel Reed, one of the most influential DJs in LA, had just played the first single off the new Fleetwood Mac album for the very first time. “I don’t know about that one,” he said dismissively to his millions of listeners. Within minutes he got a call from Lindsey Buckingham, the song’s author, demanding to know what the problem was. “I can’t find the beat,” he said. Suffice it to say that other listeners had a lot less of a problem with “Go Your Own Way” than Reed did. Continue reading »
Quickies rounds up new can’t-miss covers. Download ‘em below.
• Despite having only released two albums since 1992, Sade returns with a new greatest hits set. The Ultimate Collection features hits like “Smooth Operator” and “Soldier of Love” alongside new tracks. One is this predictably smooth R&B cover of Thin Lizzy’s “Still in Love with You.” Continue reading »
Cover News is a weekly feature keeping you up to date on the goings-on in the world of cover tunes, tribute albums, etc. At the bottom we showcase the submissions we’ve been sent in the past week (send us yours)! As always, follow Cover Me on Twitter for the latest news.
The Arcade Fire
This Week’s News
The latest Cover Commissions brings us an ethereal “Political Science” by We Are the Willows. Check in next week to vote on May’s Cover Commissions! [Cover Me]
On April Fool’s Day, I tricked our Twitter followers with a claim that Matt at You Ain’t No Picasso had posted a bunch of Arcade Fire covers. Inspired by the joke, he did just that two weeks later. You’re welcome, internet. [YANP]
We already knew Bettye LaVette’s album tackling “The British Rock Songbook” would be amazing. “All My Love” confirms it. [Spinner]
The Flaming Lips released their Dark Side of the Moon tribute on vinyl a few weeks ago, promoting it with an acid-trippy “Breathe” on Jimmy Fallon. [The Music Slut]
We’ve posted Via Tania’s cover of “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” back in January. Now she’s back, in front of a mountain, with a ukulele Fever Ray cover. [Filter]
Keller Williams makes the short list (very short) of Jam Band Artists Non-Jam Fans Can Enjoy, so his Thief covers album should me fun. [Glide]
Bon Iver covered Peter Gabriel for Record Store Day. He then covered Tom Petty just for the hell of it. [Each Note Secure]
Girl in a Coma (nice Smiths reference) has released the third and final volume of their Adventures in Coverland series. Listen to the tunes online and then pick it up on vinyl. [Blackheart]
If you want to destroy my sweater, hold this thread as I walk away. [Stereogum]
It’s a few weeks old, but Josh Ritter covering “Moon River” is worth any delay. [Daytrotter]
Florence and the Machine wants to get into your pants with this Mario Winans cover. [Billboard]
The AV Club continues their series of exclusive cover videos and includes a tantalizing list of to-be-posted songs. “Who will cover Journey’s ‘Faithfully’?” the site asks. Any chance the answer is “No one”? [The AV Club]
Fleetwood Mac’s songs sometimes get a bad rap from constant play in elevators, grocery stores, and on “lite rock” radio. Try to forget the soulless environments in which these tunes sometimes find themselves, and you’ll remember that each one is a pop gem, little nuggets from a band at their prime just as they were falling apart. Stevie Nicks hitting that bridge on “The Chain,” the mystical guitar plucking of “Never Going Back Again,” the pounding drums propelling “Go Your Own Way” into that furious crescendo of a guitar solo…the magical moments are just too many to name. The originals can’t be improved upon, but they can be reworked. See for yourself.
The Greencards – Second Hand News
One of Australia’s most acclaimed bluegrass groups, The ‘Cards make Fleetwood Mac sound shockingly logical as bluegrass and singer Carol Young has the voice to do Stevie Nicks/Christine McVie justice. It’s not til the fiddle breakdown at the end though that this group really bursts forth. [Buy]
The Morning Benders – Dreams
After releasing The Bedroom Covers as a freebie to promote their album Talking Through Tin Cans, these guys have showed up here a couple times already (click their name on the long list on the right to hear more). This Berkeley foursome’s breathy harmonies bring power to this slow burner. [Buy]
Grumpy Bear – Never Going Back Again
The Fleetwood original has one of the greatest finger picking pop lines ever, but Grumpy Bear counters with some new picking all their own. They rearrange the cadence, the lyrics, and the rhythm, but remain true to the essence. And if you hear this and think, the only thing that could make this better is a little Donovan…you just might be in luck. [Buy]
Darren Hanlon – Don’t Stop
Solo acoustic guitar…meh. Solo ukulele? Now that’s something I can get behind. Hanlon busted this out for an Australian radio station a few years back and it rocks…in a ukulele sort of way. [Buy]
Snow & Voices – Go Your Own Way
Most of these covers play with the instruments, the sound, the timbre, but keep the general melody and feel the same. Not so with Snow & Voices. They slow this pop song to a dirge-like crawl that brings out the heartbreak in the lyrics. The original sounded like someone trying to put on a positive face; in this one, the singer has succumbed to the despair of lost love. [Buy]
Denison Witmer – Songbird
Cover guru Witmer strips it down to some acoustic guitar, instrumental flourishes, and his Americana-sweet voice. Catch a few more covers of this one over at Cover Lay Down. [Buy]
Throwback – The Chain
[audio: https://ia902606.us.archive.org/22/items/throwback2005-08-06.oktava.shnf/throwback2005-08-06d2t03.mp3]
A live one here, a loose rocker that doesn’t lose the classic harmonies of the original. It doesn’t really break out ‘til the funk guitar solo that builds right into the bridge. I wonder if the folks at Café Dekcuf appreciated what they were getting. [Buy]
Cyndi Lauper – You Make Loving Fun
God, it’s so 80’s! This was actually Lauper’s first single, a foreshadowing of the “fun” theme she would pursue down the road. The wall of synthesizers may be a little much, but I’m a big fan of that sax solo. [Buy]
Goo Goo Dolls – I Don’t Wanna Know
I’ll admit, the Goo Goo Dolls remind me of the worst of late 90’s rock radio. Their alt-rock-for-middle-schoolers sound works well enough with this tune, and makes for a nice change of pace from the many folk/jazz covers. [Buy]
Tallulah – Oh Daddy
I’ll admit it here: I’m not the first one to come up with this idea. Legacy: A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours already exists and is, I must say, quite good. Even among such worthy competition as Elton John and The Cranberries, this space-echo throb of a plea shines forth as a unique interpretation that sounds not-quite pop, not-quite-gothic, not-quite-dance, and many other genres it almost fits. [Buy]
Waylon Jennings – Gold Dust Woman
It comes from 1978’s Waylon & Willie album, but this one’s all Jennings. Classic outlaw country, it’s manages to stay faithful to the original while sounding nothing like it. [Buy]
