Flour Power

Los Angeles’ indie-pop group Robotanists did what seems to me like the quickest turnaround on an album cover ever. They basically released their own version of Radiohead’s The King of Limbs a mere 24 hours after the album was released. Their version can be streamed online here. Read more about the process in their blog.

This Radiohead album is gathering more attention than I’ve seen any album get. In a little more than a week the album already has been fully covered and some remixes and mash-ups have also been released. And speaking of mash-ups, I just discovered Jaydiohead, and even though I’m not a fan of Jay-Z (or any rap, for that matter), it sounds great.

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you might have noticed how I like music covers. That’s why The King’s Head is probably my favourite pub in Galway on Mondays and Tuesdays. From 10pm to around midnight there’s usually a gig featuring two guys with acoustic guitars, playing covers of well-know songs.

Fred & James are one of the duos, playing Mondays, and their version of Galway Girl is the one I mentioned before, with the slightly altered lyrics. This time I managed to get a much better recording of it:

They also play this great version of Hotel California, ending with an awesome solo. Which I’ve been meaning to record for a long time now, and it’s finally here:

Enjoy the videos, and see you at The King’s Head one of these Mondays!

It’s cover time again! This time I present you Scott D. Davis, with some great arrangements for piano of some well know rock songs. These 3 are my favourites, but check out his Youtube channel for some more:

Guns ‘n’ Roses’ Sweet Child of Mine

Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters

Evanescence’s My Immortal

Enjoy!

After the enourmous success (well, not really) of my list of 12 cool music covers, here comes the sequel, with 12 more. Most of them are suggestions from friends that were quick to point out how I had missed some obvious ones. Kudos to them! And with all the suggestions, plus the ones I keep finding randomly, I already have a few extra, so a 3rd installment might be coming soon (feel free to send more suggestions).

Cake – I Will Survive (originally by Gloria Gaynor). I don’t even know how I missed this one in the first list, because I really like the song, especially Cake’s version. And if you’re curious to know how does it sound in Czech… here it is :)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=596qaxm-u4o

KT Tunstall – Walk Like an Egyptian (originally by The Bangles). You might not recognize the band or the song name, but you’ll probably recognise it imediately after the first few words.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=48Pafixt83A

Johnny Cash – Personal Jesus (originally by Depeche Mode). The Marilyn Manson version is also good.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQcNiD0Z3MU

Dave Matthews – All Along the Watchtower (originally by Bob Dylan). One of those songs “covered” by just about everyone.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yam6mrCCvD4

Editors – Feel Good Inc. (originally by Gorillaz).

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtpGzbdeAfk

Silence 4 – A Little Respect (originally by Erasure). A Portuguese band makes a beautiful version of a somewhat silly song, with all those eighties’ “disco sounds”…

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuSgc68t1ZM

Ben Harper – Sexual Healing (originally by Marvin Gaye). Again, the removal of the synthesizer just made the song so much nicer.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=teWzsxITB1s

Alanis Morissette – King of Pain (originally by The Police).

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShZd6SxdaZk

Muse – Feeling Good (originally written by Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse for the 1965 musical The Roar of the Greasepaint—the Smell of the Crowd, says Wikipedia). Another one of those that has been transformed shitloads of times.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=inW91qRDGwI

Michael Andrews and Gary Jules – Mad World (originally by Tears for Fears). You might recognise it from the Donnie Darko soundtrack.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4N3N1MlvVc4

Emil Bulls – Take on Me (originally by a-ha). Also, the video has hot chicks.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtJH2bMesfc

Guano Apes – Big in Japan (originally by Alphaville). Another one of those that I can’t believe I didn’t include in the first list. And the original was so unbelievably bad…

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUmDpz36fDI

I love covers. Even to the point of compiling a list of them. And this is probably one of the best, and more elaborate, I’ve seen. It’s Stand By Me (originally by Ben E. King) played all over the world, with multiple instruments and vocals perfectly combined.

httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Us-TVg40ExM

The song comes from the award-winning documentary Playing For Change: Peace Through Music. Their version of Bob Marley’s One Love is also worth watching.

(via Gizmodo)