Turn and face the strain
Jul. 23rd, 2010 02:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ventaIt's Friday, it's about 3 o'clock. It's time to go underneath the covers (with the lights out).
I always recommend listening to a cover version without knowing what or who it is, so click on the link before reading ahead...
Today's cover version [link to mp3 expired]
That was Neil Hannon & Yann Tiersen covering Life on Mars, originally by David Bowie.
Yes, you can have the point if you thought it was The Divine Comedy.
This is an artist I think is fabulous covering a song I really love. What's not to like?
I also think it's an interesting example that a cover doesn't have to be completely genre-busting to be interesting. Both of these are (broadly-speaking) a bloke singing over an acoustic, string-based backing. In many ways there's not a huge difference (apart from the singers' voices).
Yet I do think they're very different. I expect a song which has been Neil Hannon'd to be beset with epic, sweeping string quartets - and instead he's cut it right down. He's taken out the vocal harmony, and the song seems almost bare.
This recording is from a Q cover disk (called Ultimate Songwriters) which is all cover versions. It's surprising how few tracks on it I'd consider... Martha & the Vandellas doing Nowhere to Run - I don't know the original. Ditto Björk's Ruby Baby. The Damned doing Help! - the less said the better (sadly). Nick Cave doing All Tomorrow's Parties - actually very good, but we've had one Nick Cave cover already. Joe Strummer's Redemption Song - I barely know anyone else's. The Bangles doing Manic Monday - oh, come off it. And so on. I realise my cover requirements may be too stringent :)
Obviously, if you don't know Life on Mars then get out and buy a copy of Hunky Dory. Right now.
I always recommend listening to a cover version without knowing what or who it is, so click on the link before reading ahead...
Today's cover version [link to mp3 expired]
That was Neil Hannon & Yann Tiersen covering Life on Mars, originally by David Bowie.
Yes, you can have the point if you thought it was The Divine Comedy.
This is an artist I think is fabulous covering a song I really love. What's not to like?
I also think it's an interesting example that a cover doesn't have to be completely genre-busting to be interesting. Both of these are (broadly-speaking) a bloke singing over an acoustic, string-based backing. In many ways there's not a huge difference (apart from the singers' voices).
Yet I do think they're very different. I expect a song which has been Neil Hannon'd to be beset with epic, sweeping string quartets - and instead he's cut it right down. He's taken out the vocal harmony, and the song seems almost bare.
This recording is from a Q cover disk (called Ultimate Songwriters) which is all cover versions. It's surprising how few tracks on it I'd consider... Martha & the Vandellas doing Nowhere to Run - I don't know the original. Ditto Björk's Ruby Baby. The Damned doing Help! - the less said the better (sadly). Nick Cave doing All Tomorrow's Parties - actually very good, but we've had one Nick Cave cover already. Joe Strummer's Redemption Song - I barely know anyone else's. The Bangles doing Manic Monday - oh, come off it. And so on. I realise my cover requirements may be too stringent :)
Obviously, if you don't know Life on Mars then get out and buy a copy of Hunky Dory. Right now.
no subject
Date: 2010-07-23 02:43 pm (UTC)I'm not sure I *like* it per se. The percussion is really quite weird. And you're right that although in some ways it's very different in others it's not different enough.
Definitely an interesting one!
Excuse me while I go put it on again :)
no subject
Date: 2010-07-23 02:45 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-23 09:50 pm (UTC)