In honor of their Euro tour officially kicking off, Fan Death bring us their well done (and less androgynous) rendition of 80s classic “Goodbye Horses” by Q Lazzarus, best known for its perfect inclusion in the ultra creepy Buffalo Bill scene in Silence of the Lambs. Can’t decide which I like better – the song or the cover art?
Listen to more Fan Death on this post.
Here’s my first of many ‘covers that are better than the original’ posts. And by ‘better’, I really just mean that I like it better, because objective reasoning is beyond my pay grade here.
First up is the Bat for Lashes/Fionn Regan/Maps rendition of “Higher Than the Sun” by Primal Scream, performed live for the BBC program “In the Company Of” back in August 2007. True, we’re dealing with a classic here, Screamadelica being a groundbreaking album (that I love), but props to Natasha Khan’s vocals (with slivers of Regan’s voice echoing in the backround) for taking a trippy acid house track and making it so emotive and moving…my heart melts a little every time I hear it. This makes my top 25 all-time.
Bonus track – “Loaded” remixed by Terry Farley (one of the producers of Screamadelica). Man, I love this version..makes me want to go pub hopping in Scotland.
I tend to steer clear of reissues, leaving them for the completists out there, because who needs more of the same with fancier packaging? I will, however, be getting my hands on the special edition of Sinead O’Connor’s classic I Do Not Want What I Haven’t Got because it includes a second disc of B-Sides/live cuts (including a fab live version of “Troy”), two previously unreleased tracks, and because yes, I think her music’s awesome. The LP is out today from Capitol/EMI, check out the tracklist here.
Just another reason to watch this video again..which I admit, is still capable of making me cry.
I’m off to Miami in a couple of hours and stoked to catch the last weekend of the Winter Music Conference. There’s gonna be a bunch of DJ shows tomorrow night, and after much convincing, my roommates finally agreed to come to the Fool’s Gold Records Party and potentially the Flosstradamus show at Heathrow Lounge. Why would they need to be persuaded to go to such awesome shows? Good question. The Fool’s Gold party is slated to feature among others, A-Trak and Treasure Fingers, which I’m most amped for, and a “surprise guest” or two. If the SXSW party is any indication, I’m guessing Kid Cudi might make an appearance? Fast times, here I come.
As a follow up to this post, here are some of my favorite crossover covers..
Boy/girl duet The Bird and the Bee turn Rihanna’s dance hit into a sublime little music box tune. Very pretty.
From her 2001 album Girl Versions, Emm Gryner’s brilliant rework of a Def Leppard classic. Love the arrangement…and that voice!
A blast from the past, Strawberry Switchblade’s 1985 take on “Jolene”
Can’t beat the original when it’s Sigur Ros, but pretty stellar nonetheless.
You know what’s fun to listen to when you’re down and out in duckburg? Rock artists covering rap songs..such as this fine number by Jenny Owen Youngs. ‘Tis better than the original, says I. Best part starting 2:54 “I got a friend with a pole in the basement..” – love the delivery.
As part of their elbo.ws project Ruby Isle have been covering the top song on Elbows with mixed results, though I have to give them credit for putting each one together in a week. Some other covers include The Rake’s Song (The Decemberists) and My Girls (Animal Collective).
I kinda like the “White Winter..” cover version better than the original, which says a lot about my musical taste I suppose. They really sucked the whole ‘warm & cozy ski lodge’ feeling right out of the song. But I was never a fan of that anyway (oh the blasphemy!).
This one cracks me up though, I just don’t think it works..but at least we can go spinning to Bon Iver now.
And unrelated, I really like the Hot Chip cover of Joy Division’s Transmission.
Welcome to bananas foster – (yet another) indie/electro/disco/pop/rock music blog.
I bet pirates really dig Friendly Fires…because they’ve got so many hooks (hah). It’s not all that new, their self-titled debut came out back in September, and the Aeroplane remix of “Paris” was all the rage last year. I’m revisiting the love train after watching their very cool new video for “Skeleton Boy.” Also included to get you further stoked, my fave track off the album, Lovesick.
Friendly Fires – Skeleton Boy // download [mediafire]
And it’s a 3 song special – here’s their fantastic cover of Lykke Li’s “I’m Good, I’m Gone”.
They’ll be playing at Bowery Ballroom March 26/27…let me know if you want to go!
