Category: music musings

cover it… or don’t?

First of all, dang! It has been more than a year since I have posted. I guess life is really preoccupied with other things, and there isn’t much time for the introspective blogger to pour out nonsensical musings on the daily anymore… at least not for this one. That being said, I have been thinking about this for a bit, and I wanted to sound off about it; cover songs.

Sometimes, a cover song is golden. Sometimes, it is the one you recognize, and it is the one that many people think of when you think of a particular song. Is it better than the original? Maybe! Is the cover more popular? Probably! Some notable examples include Whitney Houston’s cover of Dolly Parton’s I Will Always Love You, Aretha Franklin’s cover of Otis Redding’s Respect, and how could you forget Tina Turner’s cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Proud Mary? I could go on and on, and some of these songs have become the “standard” version that you think of when you think of a particular song. Other notable contemporary examples, include Natalie Imbruliga’s cover of Ednaswap’s Torn and Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse’s cover of Zuton’s Valerie; I honestly can’t say as I really “knew” the original, but instantly recognize the cover. Is that to say that the cover is better? Maybe (I have listed some GREAT covers)! That leads to my point in bringing this up… sometimes, it’s best NOT to cover a song.

As an artist, I feel like you need to ask yourself; can I do the song justice? Can I do it as good as or better than the original? Is my version just a fun little love song to the original, and will people really love it as much as I do? I feel like sometimes, the cover is probably just a fun little, “I love this song, and I can sing, so why not?”, and it really shows. Enter the “bad” cover song. Some times, you shouldn’t cover a song, just because you could, because to the listener, you really didn’t do it any justice, and nothing new or wonderful was brought to the table. Sometimes, the result is cringe-worthy. If you are a cover band, and it is fun show, then have at it; but if it is going on a record, or being released a single, I wonder what the motivation is to do (what I think is) a poor cover of a song.

I have a few examples:

Colbie Caillat’s cover of Roberta Flack’s Killing Me Softly With His Song. Now this is actually a cover of a cover, as far as I’m concerned, because most people think of the Fugees version when they think of this song. Not to pick on Colbie too much, but there is literally zero soul in this cover. It isn’t necessary, and I hear it more often than I should. This is a great example of how not to do a good cover.
Another prime example is Paris Hilton’s cover of Rod Stewart’s Do You Think I’m Sexy. The answer is a firm no on that one. There is nothing sexy about this cover, at all. One final of my least favorites, that was/is played TO DEATH on the radio not that long ago, is Ritt Momney’s cover of Corinne Bailey Rae’s Put Your Records On, which shows that sometimes, covering a song does nothing but take a good song, and make it really bad. This is a record that I do NOT want you to put on. It’s almost like they tried to do a half-assed, out-of-tune cover to make fun of the song, but I don’t know if there truly is irony or sarcasm here, or an attempt at something good; it’s difficult to tell. Either way, it is definitely one to skip.

Now, I know I am saying a lot as someone who cannot sing for themselves, so this is all a matter of opinion. There are tons of great songs out there, and cover them all you want; just do it justice! Add a little something, make it yours, give it life (think John Mayer’s live cover of Tom Petty’s Free Fallin’; THAT is a phenomenal cover)! Don’t just go through the motions, or make something that is just a filler track for your record. Again, just my two cents, but these bad covers made me think; what other covers are there that you can’t stand to hear? Sound off in the comments!

who is fancy?

Remember this song?

Well, I, for one, was kind of obsessed with it, and well, who Fancy was; I mean, this person can sing! Not long after it was released, he was revealed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallow, singing the song live, and it turns out, he is a queer artist, named Jake “Fancy” Hagood.

Interestingly enough, I recognized him in the crowd at a Troye Sivan concert a few years ago, and went over to talk with him. He was super sweet, and I asked him about upcoming music (because I loved Goodbye, as well as his song he did with Meghan Trainor and Ariana Grande, Boys Like You), and he said he was working on it (queue excitement!). After several years of waiting, and a few (amazing) single releases here and there, he announced that he was releasing his long awaited debut album, Southern Curiosity. Well, since it came out last month, I have been listening to it on repeat, and I can say that Fancy has released arguably one of the strongest albums of the year thus far.

Check it out:

You know how they say good things come to those that wait? Well, it was a long while, but Fancy has really delivered on his soulful and heartfelt debut. This album should be soaring up the charts, but sadly, it is probably being overlooked by a lot of people just due to lack of exposure. Well, that’s one reason for this post; give it a listen! You won’t be sorry. I love supporting queer artists, being queer myself, but that’s not the only reason to give him a listen; he is the real deal, and is super talented, which is reflected on this flawless debut.

Now… for a vinyl release; that would be the cherry on top! This one is DEFINITELY going to be in my top albums of the year for 2021!!

Stand out tracks: The Answer, Good Man, Forest, Love Again, Either, Southern Curiosity.

something something music

So I clearly don’t use this blog very often.

Does anyone still read or care? Who knows…

Regardless, I work a lot, and am distracted by life, which seems to go by faster each day. I still enjoy listening to music, and have been recently listening to stuff from the past, and find myself enjoying things that I probably didn’t like, or didn’t really get into before. Sometimes, you just want a bunch of feel-good stuff, and hits from the past can definitely deliver that, when needed.

As it goes, I have been compiling a playlist of a bunch of hits from all genres and decades, and have had a lot of fun both making the list, and listening to it. As such I thought, why not share it? I have also shifted dramatically to using Spotify almost exclusively for music, other than my physical LP records and record player, so that’s where the playlist lives. Check it out, and I hope you have fun listening as well! Pro-tip: I shuffle when I listen, so it keeps it fresh!

smashing pumpkins; a revived interest

So after last week’s random check-in blog post, I feel like I have been somewhat reconnected, so to speak, and kind of want to keep the momentum going, if possible. I do think that a large part of that, interestingly, was due to seeing Smashing Pumpkins last weekend in Duluth. It was the Shiny and Oh So Bright tour, which was touted as an almost-greatest hits tour, where they got (most) of the original band back together, and played only stuff from their first 5 albums, spanning from Gish through Machina/The Machines of God.

I had read that ticket sales were lackluster for the tour, but teenage me wanted to go for nostalgia’s sake, and I am so glad that I did; the night was fantastic, and they played hit after hit and fantastic deep album cuts (including my favorite song from Siamese Dream!) for a solid 3 hours! Any fan of their work during that time would have had a blast; which is exactly what I did. All in all, I am so glad that I went, because the concert was amazing; and as I said, teenage me would have been super pumped about that experience, and would have been really happy that I decided to go. Sound-wise, they sounded amazing, and considering that a lot of that material is between 18-27 years old (!!!), it was impressive that the magic was, and is still there.

What I didn’t really expect, however, was that the nostalgia effect turned into a renewed interest and exploration of their newer work, which I honestly overlooked prior to now; which includes pretty much anything after Mellon Collie, other than a few singles here and there. For whatever reason, I kind of snoozed on the band after Mellon Collie; perhaps like most other fans of the hardcore alternative style they flexed prior to Adore, due to the large departure of that album. That being said, listening to it now, I don’t see why I didn’t like it more at the time; it, and their other albums, are all quite good, and are through-and-through Smashing Pumpkins at the core. I do have to venture a guess that part of the blame comes from this coming around a time of much change in my life; I was in college, and a lot was going on with me, and my music tastes were changing wildly at the time. Looking, and listening back, I can hear that most of their work has been pretty consistent (albeit different and evolving), and quite good since their inception, and this time I am spending listening to the “older stuff” has been fun, because I have been reconnecting with a band that I have always loved for as long as I remember liking music.

I do know that some of my issues with the band were based on line up changes, and drug use (which lead to the death of one of the touring members at one time), which can explain why I overlooked some of their work, but that is definitely in the past now. I do remember really liking Zeitgeist when it came out, so it is clear that I have always been willing to give them and their newer work a chance, but I just hadn’t connected like the way I have this past week following that show. I have always held Siamese Dream to such an unattainable standard, that it is no wonder that I have felt so lukewarm about their other albums; which is a shame, because I have been the cause of myself missing out on some pretty awesome music. Additionally, it goes to show that a good concert can really sell a band, past, present, and hopefully future. I have been getting some of the older stuff on vinyl, and I would like to see a release of Machina/The Machines of God (and it’s follow up), as well as Zeitgeist on vinyl as well, because as much of a fan as I was before, I am even more so now. Now, to get the vinyl that is available, and complete my album collection!

artist watch: Tom Walker

Dang! I love this! This guy has a beautiful voice, smooth sound, and he is pretty easy on the eyes. Apparently he has an EP out, Blessings, on iTunes, which is giving me a flavor of Jack Garrett, mixed with a little Rag’n’Bone Man, and some Alex Clare thrown in for good measure; sadly this song is not on the EP. Certainly one to watch; the talent here is major! Can’t wait for a proper full length release from this guy!

sotd: HAIM – Want You Back

Good lord I love these three sisters. They are crazy-talented, and I have been eagerly awaiting a follow up album to their flawless debut, Days Are Gone (which came out four years ago!!!). I saw them on tour, and their talent is palpable; the concert was amazing. Now, this is their first single (?) from their upcoming album, which is due in July 17, 2017. Needless to say, I am waiting with bated breath for this one, as if this is any indicator of the upcoming release, these girls are unstoppable!!

sotd: Flume – Never Be Like You (feat. Kai)

It seems that a lot more artists are turning out killer tracks like this, in the somewhat slow, trip-hop-esque sound, which is apparently called wonky electronica, future bass, and/(or, combination?) PBRNB; all of which stem from some of my favorite genres like drum n bass, trip hop, dubstep, etc. Regardless of what it’s called, this new(ish?) genre in electronic music has me reeling, as it is so emotive with not only the vocals, but the beats; it is almost like they are another voice speaking to you in some coded language. Artists like FKA Twigs come to mind when I hear this stuff, and they are killing it with this sound; I am always excited to hear something as amazing as this single, by the very young Flume (24 y.o.!!), an Australian who is bringing something fresh to the table.

This is one of those slow burn songs; every listen pulls me in deeper, and I can’t wait to hear it again. Looking forward to more from Flume; and more of this brand of electronica as well.

best of 2014… finally.

I mean really. It’s 2016, and I am finally getting to this? Listen, this is all because of two things: work and school. Both of which are full time. I wanted to go ahead and do this really quick, and I will be brief, so that I can do 2015 as well. I am THAT behind. BAD BLOGGER! Oh well… as they say, life gets in the way. Here they are, my favorite albums of 2014.

I am only going to say a little bit about my top 5, the rest are just albums that I enjoyed that year, and that’s all we’ll say about that…

1) You + Me – rose ave. – So what do you get when you mesh two of my favorite vocalists together, harmonizing beautifully, playing my favorite type of music? A dream come true. City and Colour + P!nk = You + Me. Heaven. This album is absolutely perfect; scratch that, it would be perfect it had more tracks! Here’s hoping for more from You + Me.

2) Sam Smith – In The Lonely Hour – What can I say, this guy is amazing, and really took the music scene by storm in 2014. I expect to hear many more great things from him over his career, which should be long and fruitful. Great album, and tons of single-worthy tracks here.

3) Betty Who – Take Me When You Go – I first heard the single Somebody Loves You, and after that, I was smitten with Betty Who. When her album came out, I was even more mesmerized; it is fantastic. I have high hopes for her getting more airplay and exposure; she is a majorly talented artist, and this is great pop music!

Sia – 1000 Forms of Fear – First and foremost, Chandelier. Killer. Sia can not only write a killer hook and penn some real pop hits, but she can fucking SING. I loved this album, and just when I thought I had heard all of it, a new song would become my favorite of the moment. This is pop, and this is excellent.

Bear’s Den – Islands – I saw them open for Mumford and Sons, and then went to see them again at a local smaller venue because they were so great. This is an incredible album, and one that is very well crafted and plays spectacularly from beginning to end; not a bad track to be found. If you like Mumford and Sons, give them a try; you won’t be sorry!

And now the rest… not really in any particular order.

  • Beyonce – Beyonce (Platinum Edition)
  • Lady GaGa and Tony Bennett – Cheek To Cheek
  • Nina Persson – Animal Heart
  • Robyn & Royksopp – Do It Again
  • Taylor Swift – 1989
  • Trampled By Turtles – Wild Animals
  • Broods – Evergreen
  • Iggy Azalea – The New Classic/Reclassified
  • Ingrid Michaelson – Lights Out
  • Danity Kane – DK3
  • FKA Twigs – LP1
  • Ariana Grande – My Everything
  • Jessie J – Sweet Talker
  • Olly Murs – Never Been Better
  • One Direction – FOUR
  • The Script – No Sound Without Silence
  • Tove Lo – Queen of the Clouds
  • Jessie Ware – Tough Love
  • MKTO – MKTO
  • Bleachers – Strange Desire
  • Nicole Scherzinger – Big Fat Lie
  • Guardians of the Galaxy Soundtrack: Awesome Mix Vol 1

Why this took me so long? Who knows. Either way, here ya go. Next up, 2015. Geez.

sotd: Troye Sivan – Wild

Not often do I stumble on a new artist that completely takes me by storm, and I become instantly, obsessively, incessantly transfixed on their voice, their music, and need to hear everything I can get my hands on by them. Well, that’s exactly what happened when my buddy Jamie told me to listen to Troye Sivan. Sivan is a 20 year old, out, Australian actor, singer/songwriter who’s song Wild, which has a beautiful, hauntingly touching video, has me completely obsessed, and after hearing his two EPs, TRXYE and Wild, has me incredibly hungry to hear more from this incredibly talented young singer.