I like Cee-Lo, but boy did he destroy this song. This is just an absolutely wretched cover of a song I happen to like quite a bit. The inevitable comparison to Ben Bridwell’s vocals is quite unfavorable. Cee-Lo is a great singer in his own right, yet this particular song and comparison are rather damaging. I have to believe he could have come up with something better than this. The musical accompaniment isn’t memorable, and is actually a bit grating. The vocal arrangements are poor and are my main complaint. Odd lyrics and notes are extended in weird place, and all it does is throw the balance off, not take the song in a new and interesting direction. I understand the desire to take a cover and have your own take on it, but this isn’t the direction anyone should have chosen. After hearing this song, all I wanted to do was erase it from my memory by listening to the original. It made me sorta sad because I actually thought the video was effective, albeit rather predictable.
On a more positive note, and for a bit of retribution, I tossed in the buzziest song in quite some time in Cee-Lo’s “Fuck You.” You don’t need my take on it, because it’s already been mentioned nearly everywhere else. In comparison to the above cover, all I can simply say is, much better.
Andy and I are toying with the idea of an all NXNE week on the blog in preparation and honor of the first music festival (I think) that either of us have been to. It will certainly be the first we have attended with press passes, so we are pretty excited about it. We haven’t fleshed out the details so keep your eyes peeled for what we may have for you.
In the meantime, if you’ve seen Passion Pit live recently you would know the band has been covering The Cranberries ‘Dreams’ so well at many of their concerts that they decided to include the cover on a reissue of Manners. The cover works better live for my ears, but it is still solid here regardless. I never knew how much I liked this song until I heard the Pit’s version. I can call them the Pit right?
This is one of those songs where I heard the cover first, and because of that, I like the cover better than the original. Of course, that’s mostly attributed to the stark contrast between The Knife’s Swedish-electro and Jose Gonzalez’s easy acoustic. After becoming so fond of the cover, I find The Knife’s version almost unlistenable – even today.
But, if the measure of a songwriter is in what other artists can do with their songs, then it may just be that The Knife are genius and I’m missing the point completely, which – when it comes to me – is almost always a possibility.
This week’s Smörgåsbord reveals a darker side of one of this blog’s contributors – a penchant for mid-to-late 90′s generock. (That’s “generic” with “rock” mashed onto the end.) In addition to another Empire of the Sun track, you’ll get more than your RDA of moderately good covers of songs by much better artists, as well as a remix of that Vampire Weekend song concerning Peter Gabriel (the first one.) Help yourself before it gets cold.
Also, on a programming note, this post marks our 50th, and it’s also been exactly a month since we started this beast. We’ve interviewed Blitzen Trapper, been threatened by Web Sheriff (which disabled our posting for a bit while our content was investigated), had the top spot on Hype Machine thanks to Death to the Throne’s MIA remix, and amassed nearly 20,000 hits. Not bad for the first month. Here’s to March and the inevitable future. We have irons in a few fires, so we’re looking forward to sharing the fruits of those labors with you. Stay tuned.
This weekend is the Oscars, which I won’t be watching unless I happen upon it while my girlfriend is.But, since it is the Oscars, I have two soundtrack posts to put up.
I have an aversion to purchasing movie soundtracks; for the most part, soundtracks are mixed tapes made for a wider audience.The last soundtrack I obtained (note: not bought) was Garden State, like most everyone everywhere.The reason I don’t buy soundtracks is that if a song is tied to a movie, then that’s why I remember the song – not because I have made the memory of the song on my own time.I’d rather have the music be personally affecting than forced on me by Zach Braff.(This isn’t meant to be vitriol directed toward Mr. Braff; he’s just an easy target, really.The music he uses in his movies are like the Egg of Columbus to me.)
With that said, often times it’s the covers that pop up on soundtracks that intrigue me most – mostly because they’re often unable to be found elsewhere on the artist’s albums.Here are three of my favorite covers from movie soundtracks; two of the movies I haven’t even seen, butI don’t think I’m missing much by not having seen them.And for that matter, you might not be missing out if you don’t hear these covers, but they’re interesting regardless.Tomorrow I’ll have some good, non-cover soundtrack tunes.I hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.
Harvey Danger – Save It For Later (The English Beat cover) (mp3) from the 200 Cigarettes soundtrack (Note that the movie has been discontinued; this is probably the first time it’s been talked about by anyone in the decade since its release.)
NOTE: Concerts are in Rochester unless otherwise noted.
2/22: William Fitzsimmons
2/24: Mike Doughty
2/25: Charles Bradley (Buffalo)
2/29: Summer People
3/3: Matthew Good
3/5: Evening Man
3/23: The Men
3/30: tympanogram’s 3rd Birthday with Born Gold, Old Tapes, TBA
4/20: fun.
4/23: Cults (Buffalo)
5/6: Bear In Heaven (Ithaca)
5/7: M83 (Buffalo)
an examination used to test the condition of the middle ear and mobility of the eardrum, and the conduction bones by creating variations of air pressure in the ear canal.
Basically, it sounded like a cool name for a blog intended to be primarily about music. We’d both had other blogs previously, but over beers it was decided that more damage could be done as a joint venture. And here we are.
We share a passion for the undiscovered and under-appreciated, and hope that you’ll be able to find something you love as well.
Disclaimer
The music offered on this blog is for sampling purposes only. If you enjoy something you hear here, please go out and buy the music, see a show, or purchase some merchandise. Posted mp3s are available for a limited period of time only.
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About the Author: Dave
I like music. I can't describe how I came to like the music I do, because I don't know how or why, I just do.
Many years ago, Napoleon's brother, my great-great-great-great-great-great Grandfather, came to America. He was asked his name on Ellis Island while being processed as an immigrant. Not understanding English, he was under the impression that he was being asked how he had arrived in the new land. So he turned around and pointed at the sea vessel and said, 'LaBarge.'
About the Author: Andy
I come by my music taste of my own free will. My friends listened to 2Pac, my parents to contemporary Christian and me? Sunny Day Real Estate. I can’t explain it.
“Music, true music, not just rock ’n’ roll, it chooses you. It lives in your car, or alone, listening to your headphones…” - Lester Bangs
This is one of those songs where I heard the cover first, and because of that, I like the cover better than the original. Of course, that’s mostly attributed to the stark contrast between 
This week’s Smörgåsbord reveals a darker side of one of this blog’s contributors – a penchant for mid-to-late 90′s generock. (That’s “generic” with “rock” mashed onto the end.) In addition to another Empire of the Sun track, you’ll get more than your RDA of moderately good covers of songs by much better artists, as well as a remix of that Vampire Weekend song concerning Peter Gabriel (the first one.) Help yourself before it gets cold.
This weekend is the Oscars, which I won’t be watching unless I happen upon it while my girlfriend is.
