I don’t have a TV – I haven’t had one for years and my family never had one when we were kids. Dad used to read to us and we’d listen to the Sunday morning radio show which had fare ranging from Bad Jelly the Witch to the Matchstick Girl (such a morbid tale for kids).
Anyway! The point of that rambling nostalgia trip was that the only thing I miss about TV are the music channels; I had a TV for years after I moved out of home and it was always set to the music stations (except when certain people wanted to watch Shortland Street >_<). NZ’s had some great channels (yay for Max and C4!) – not all MTV pop – and I discovered great music during the years that I had a TV.
Now that I don’t, I have to rely on my main Eye on the Choob – Grunter. A man of varied tastes, Grunter’s given me the heads up on songs from Disturbed’s latest metal anthem to the alt-pop of the Ting Tings. After checking out their latest video I found this acoustic version of “Great DJ” (which I prefer), performed on Yahoo’s music channel. (Thanks Grunter!)
It’s an oldie, but brother and sister duo Angus and Julia Stone are Aussies and I’m gearing up to my NZ music post with some neighbourly action xD (and here’s an interview wherein you can hear their charming aussie accents : ).
The quiet, folky, acoustic number really appeals to me and they do it so well; both are singer / songwriters and each has their own style but their writing method (each composes alone, then brings the song in for help with structure and harmonies) ensures they retain a cohesion to their sound. I like it, yo.
Joe Dolce’s classic 80s song “Shaddap You Face” is the most successful Australian-produced single in Australian music history for 28 years straight with sales of over 350,000 copies. It brings back memories of a crowded house full of cousins, uncles and aunties all singing the chorus punch line: “Aaah shaddap-a you face!” at the top of their voices xD.
Style-wise it’s a bit of a departure from the norm but it proves the efficacy of a sing-a-long style with a funny, universal concept xD. And whilst this live version from Countdown is a good enough performance, Samuel L. Jackson’s “spoken word” version is better, if you ask me ; ).
Since I’m on the subject of New Zealand music (or soon will be ; ), I thought I’d take the opportunity to pimp a workmate’s band (not that they need it): the stonkin’ breakbeat electronica wizards Antiform.
This track – featuring Tiki Taane of Salmonella Dub fame – is a balls out, breakbeat, rock-fest with warm and dirty analogue synths and a moving bass line of phat proportions.
If I’d had Musicalis Eclectica back when Josh gave us the “sneak preview” of this video I could’ve been one of those elite “insider” blogs and lorded my advance knowledge over you all as if anybody cared what I had to say <— see? that’s my effort at doing it after the fact xD. Nevertheless, the track rocked and blew my head off when I first heard it: it’s electronica breakbeat with a very rock heart that appealed directly to my Prodigy and Chemical Brothers tastebuds.
Antiform are playing a gig at Zen and Fu on Saturday the 6th of September; I’ll be there, lighting up the dance floor with my awkward old guy moves – hopefully I’ll see some of you there!
These 5 cover songs – in their original versions – appeared between the 70s and 80s. I can’t say I was a great fan of all the songs in their original form at the time but they’re all classics and I certainly came to appreciate them eventually. Each of the artists in these cover versions brings their own flavour in some way and each cover fulfils my 3 Tenets of Cover Songs (which I’ve made up just now):
1 – Be Original: the Cover Artist must bring something fresh to the original song, whether it be supplanting the song into another genre or casting it in a different light through context, tempo, musical colour, etc. 2 – Have a Point: the Cover Artist has to have a reason to cover the song – and we need to see it, whether it’s simply a love for the original or an outright mock; the remake should make the artist’s intention clear and convince us that they really did have to make a whole new version of an old song. 3 – Respect the Original: “respect” doesn’t mean that the Cover Artist can’t make fun of a song – it just means that they have to know what worked musically and build off it or reference it in some way that makes it clear they’re not just slapping their own music on a more popular song to try and gain some fans. Usually, a Cover Artist is covering a song that’s well known and was once popular to some extent so they should have some degree of respect for the fact that the songwriter knew what they were doing.
I like ‘em all – I hope you like them too! (and thanks for the help fOo!)
Hungry Like The Wolf
by Incubus
As always, when live, Incubus prove that they’re a cut above many of their rock peers as far as musicianship and performance quality. They take a while to get into the song but it’s worth the wait – this cover is one of my favourites; the live instruments and rock sensibility gives the song a needed edge and Brandon’s voice is a great fit for this synthy pop classic.
Heart Of Glass
by Lily Allen
Some people hate this version but I think Lily’s cover is great (sorry about the picture slideshow – it was the only video I could find with halfway decent audio). The music changes the feel from the original disco almost back to its original reggae roots – albeit an uptempo, hybrid pop version.
∞ Random Interest Snippet: Blondie originally recorded the song in 1975 as a much slower blues / reggae version before Producer Mike Chapman suggested the disco angle for the 1979 release. After its release the band were lambasted by their peers for supposedly “selling out”.
Imagine
by A Perfect Circle
Maynard James Keenan (also of Tool) brings his anguished vocal to this Lennon classic – as well as the judgemental, cynical outlook that contributed to “Vicarious” and other Tool staples. In this cover, however, Maynard’s skewed cynicism doesn’t manifest in lyrical poetics – it is present in the dark chord choice and melody, a stylistic decision that adds a twisted air of disillusionment to Lennon’s anthem of hope.
∞ Random Interest Snippet: When the Liverpool airport was named after Lennon, a phrase from the song, “above us only sky”, was painted on the ceiling of the terminal. When commenting on this, the panel of Have I Got News for You joked that the baggage handlers’ motto was taken from the same song: “Imagine no possessions”. – [Wikipedia]
The video ably supplements the gray mood with a barrage of images that throw a stark light on the optimism of the lyrics. Ultimately, I’m not sure whether Maynard is laughing at Lennon’s premise (the baby dolls, ice cream cones and the rugby ball look faintly ridiculous) or calling our attention to the need for it now, more than ever.
Warning: some reasonably graphic images of war from various news programs / documentaries contained herein.
Send Me An Angel
by Deadstar Assembly
Gotta love the bizarre cartoon video for this pop-metal / goth cover of Real Life’s 80s hit. Love that anime hair! xD The best video for this song has to be the clip from 80s BMX movie RAD, though. And is that a young Lori Loughlin (of Full House fame) performing figure skating type dance moves on a BMX? Why yes, it is.
Drive
by Strawpeople
And finally, a cover by our very own Strawpeople – NZ’s pop electronica duo (plus vocalist Bic Runga) (the video’s not available on Youtube but it’s not that great a loss as it featured cheap CG ants DJing in a club, from memory… O_o). Strawpeople featured various guest vocalists from NZ’s talent pool – at one time Fiona McDonald (also of the Headless Chickens) sang for them.
This is probably a good time to mention my forthcoming post dedicated to NZ music – it’ll be a good chance to catch up on some great music from our little country for those of you who haven’t heard much of it!
Honourable Mention
Mullet Inc. cover Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ On A Prayer” and change up the verse lyrics to confess their love for the 80s… (You can watch the full mockumentary of Mullet Inc. here.)
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Canadian art students The Stills evince shades of U2 with their song: “Being Here”, from their latest album, Oceans Will Rise. For an indie rock band they’re sounding remarkably pop : ) (AllMusic describes Oceans Will Rise as “uplifting, anthemic rock”).
∞ Random Interest Snippet: according to rumour, the band recorded a few early tracks on a four track recorder that they bought to help a friend who needed drug money.
I like this live version for its slightly dirtier feel (reminds me of classic practice room syndrome where the song sounds great before you take it to a studio and the Producer flicks the “glam” switch) but you might prefer the recorded version for its clearer production.
Phew… a quick drop today/tonight as it’s 3am and I’ve just finished installing Vista xD Good times!
One reason I’m making the move to Vista is “Assassin’s Creed”. Marketing teams for the AAA games titles are getting savvy with music now (especially after the atypical Gears of War trailer using Gary Jules’ cover of Tears for Fears “Mad World”) and to celebrate my pending elation at being able to play the DirectX 10 version of Assassin’s Creed ; ), here’s a live performance of the track that Ubisoft used at one point to market the game: Unkle’s “Lonely Soul” featuring the vocal talents of The Verve’s Richard Ashcroft.
It was a great choice for the game with its title and its dark air and Ashcroft’s voice fits the bill just nicely.
I’ve blogged already about the power of the voice as an instrument on its own – although the focus in that post was primarily on percussive styles. This post is about the incredible diversity to be found in expressive vocalisation from different cultures around the world – it’s powerful stuff, man!
I was introduced to a good deal of awesome world music through Peter Gabriel’s Real World label and some of those artists are featured here. (The 2000 compilation: Voices of the Real Worldis a great place to start if you’re looking for more of the same.)
This press review from New Age Voice (USA) sums it up perfectly:
“‘With so many sounds that at first seem so different, what becomes so obviously common is the impact of the human voice. The communication of ideas and emotions are transmitted despite language barriers and presentation…Quite simply, the most innovative and moving instrument may be the one that we’re equipped with at birth.’”
Tenores di Bitti
This wonderful sound – four male voices in polyphonic bliss – hails from Bitti, Sardinia. A traditional folk band and successors to 3000 years of musical heritage, Tenores di Bitti recorded their album S’amore ‘e mama in their home town, retaining the sounds of the ambient locations – the churches, pubs and fields of Bitti.
At the risk of sounding like a pretentious blowhard I have to say that it’s almost a shame to see them in a concert hall with microphones in their faces. How awesome would it be to come across them in the narrow alleys of their home town, voices booming from the walls? Or in the fields of their countryside, warm harmonies washing over the landscape? Uber-licious awesome, say I.
Loituma – Levan Polkka
Loituma are a Finnish folk band whose song “Levan Polkka” was made famous by the Loituma Girl internet meme (if you know what I’m talking about you’ll be sick to death of this clip).
One of the interesting things about their music is that they often improvise, breaking into a collection of rhythmic melodic gibberish; apparently they do so in the fifth and eighth stanza of this song (I can’t hear the difference from the rest of it to be honest xD).
Tuvan Throat Singing
I couldn’t pass over this famous style of vocalisation from Central Asia. In throat singing, or overtone singing as it’s also known, the vocalist “manipulates the harmonic resonances (or formants) created as air travels from the lungs, past the vocal folds, and out the lips to produce a melody.”
In the common parlance: they sing more than one note at the same time, yo.
Konnakol – Indian vocal percussion
Lori Colter’s not from the race, culture or gender that immediately springs to mind when you hear the phrase, South Indian Vocal Percussion, but she certainly has the skill to lay it down. Her performances of this indian vocal art are accomplished and impressive; she manages to disappear inside the sound completely – her culture, gender and skin colour forgotten.
The Art of Yodel
When it comes to the beauty of ethnic music and the seeming global commonality of its spiritual connection to nature, we here in the west – with our loud, brash rock music and electronic noise – are often the poor cousins. But we have artists like the DeZurik Sisters.
Yodeling may not be the exclusive domain of the west but the southern US popularised their own peculiar brand in a big way, through the country and bluegrass styles of music. Besides the beautiful harmonies throughout this song, the DeZurik Sisters yodel in an amazing way – not unlike the birds they tried to emulate at home on the farm in Minnesota.
Give the song a chance before you shut it down in horror : ) – it really is impressive: the sisters twitter, chirp and warble in an astounding effort to copy and ultimately connect with nature in their own personal way – just like their cultural counterparts around the world .
Honorable Mention
The power of the voice: sometimes it makes us cry with emotion; sometimes it makes us laugh for joy. And sometimes it makes us laugh til we cry.
I blogged about the great Apple OS X video made for this song back in the day; now that Inara George (the singer with the beautiful fairy voice) has released another solo effort I found myself digging through the interwebs for some more of her moozak.
This clip is not new but it’s a great live performance showcasing Inara’s vocal qualities and the simple purity of the Bird and the Bee’s sound.
I was operatically inspired after reading an excellent post from the fantastic At the Lighthouse (from Verdi to Moomintroll! What’s not to love!) so I thought I’d pretend I have an iota of culture by posting something opera-related.
My introduction to opera in the distant chambers of my youth was a sudden, unfathomable (for me at the time) love for “La donna è mobile” from Verdi’s Rigoletto. I’m not gonna lie – the extent of my operatic “education” was a few supermarket compilation CDs and, as my love grew, the popular CDs of Pavarotti and Bocelli xD. The music moved me to tears (like Paul Potts’ famous performance did) and, though I didn’t understand the language or the stories behind it at the time, its beauty couldn’t be denied.
∞ Random Interest Snippet: before the first performance of “La donna è mobile” in Venice, the song was rehearsed in the utmost secrecy to avoid “leaks” (hey, they knew it was catchy). Sure enough, days after the first performance every gondolier in Venice was belting it out.
So! Digging further into the work of my first love, I discovered this gem – an acoustic guitar interpretation originally by Johann Kaspar Mertz of various pieces from Verdi’s Il Trovatore. I might be biased, given the instrument, but Frank Bungarten’s performance is a beautiful example of classical guitar playing.
