Hold your head high and reach to the top

[venta]

It'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 download expired]

That was the Beautiful South covering Don't Stop Moving, originally by S Club 7

Some years ago, I unwrapped a present I'd just been given and found myself faced with a Beautiful South album. A Beautiful South covers album, to boot. I attempted to arrange my face into a suitably polite smile.

Well, more fool me because it's bloody marvellous. Golddiggas, Headnodders and Pholk Songs is a dozen cover versions - chosen from and performed in a variety of genres - and I recommend it really quite highly.

Actually, in small doses, Beautiful South aren't that bad[*]. I mean, they're not the Housemartins, but they do have some good songs. And, I concede, some terrible ones as well. But their high points are worth pausing for.

But anyway: this is an album that - although it doesn't have any stand-out, fall-over-yourselves tracks, works really well as a collection of covers. It's gentle, but it's surprisingly fun. You should give it a try.

[*] Yes, I am aware that I'm writing the praises of the Beautiful South while listening to Frontline Assembly. Thanks for asking.

Comments

[zotz]

New one to me. And not bad either.

[lnr]

I thought they sounded vaguely familiar, but didn't place who it actually was. Nor could I remember who *did* the original once I eventually recognised it. But still, one out of three isn't bad.

I rather like it.

[venta.livejournal.com]

It's an interesting selection of tracks on the album. Their version of Lush's Ciao! is pretty good - though that is one where I can't quite get over that it's not the original :)

[phlebas.livejournal.com]

Ohhh. I knew I recognised the voice, but couldn't place it. Enjoyed that, thanks. May have to see if I can find the album.

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

Sounded good....Kinda familiar but not quite and i probably ended up with it as background stuff due to seeing something shiney, so was shocked when i read what it was....both for artist and for cover....i didn't detest the origional actualy....the cover is very lounge lizzard and i like that. Off to have a hunt at that cd !!

[ulfilias.livejournal.com]

Blitzkrieg Bop.....Ooooooh....Thats a giggle. Love the origional, think Rob Zombies version actualy beats it, but this is a fun third on listening to the amazon snippet !

[undyingking.livejournal.com]

This seems to have got a fairly general thumbs up! -- and I liked it too. A rare moment of consensus?

[dr-bob.livejournal.com]

Am I a weirdo for loving the Beautiful South and thinking the housemartins are a bit meh? I identified the band within the first minute (I'm usually rubbish at that sort of thing, but Heaton's vocal is really distinctive), but couldn't place the original artist. I rather like the way they turned it into a (sort of) duet.