Backed With

week...whatever...

it's been a little bit more than a few weeks since i last updated this. let me assure you that the problems with blogamp have since ceased (read comments below) and really it was about me catching up with my life. admittedly, mp3blogs are fun, but setting deadlines for myself, the shit became work. now it's back to fun.

this week i thought i'd set it off with some of my favorite cover tunes. if you don't like these versions of the songs, take it up with the performers, but in some cases, i prefer them to the originals.

1. Jimmy Eat World, "New Religion"
This track from Mojo Records' "Duran Duran Tribute Album" was a lost track in a sea of pop-punk and ska bands reworking other hit tunes such as "Hungry Like the Wolf," "Girls On Film" and "A View to Kill." "New Religion" is one of Duran Duran's lesser known songs and Arizona's finest give it their emotional makeover, complete with haunting harmonies and loud bridge. It's a definite precursor to their style on 2001's "Bleed American" and 2004's "Futures."

2. Mock Orange, "Only In Dreams"
Back in 2002, there were two Weezer tribute albums that came out, one with relatively unknown bands and one with fairly well known bands. The former had stronger tracks on it, yet was pretty hard to find, while the latter was released on a larger indie and no doubt pressed numerous copies based on the strength of who appeared on it. Mock Orange's version of the Weez's slow jam, "Only In Dreams" showed up on the latter comp via Dead Droid Records, "Rock Music: a Tribute to Weezer." In spite of other well known bands (Dashboard Confessional, Midtown, Piebald, Further Seems Forever, Elliot, The Ataris, The Stereo, Glasseater, etc.), "Only In Dreams" had the kind of pop appeal and romantic morose feeling that made the original tune so great. In many ways, I prefer this cover to the original, missing bass intro and all.

3. Pedro the Lion, "Metal Heart"
This originally appeared on Pedro's "Tour EP '04," a limited release collection of cover songs and old PTL standards. Here, David Bazan and T.W. Walsh take a stab at Cat Power's "Metal Heart" and are able to do it justice. At least a little bit, anyway.

Labels: Cat Power, Duran Duran, Jimmy Eat World, Mock Orange, Pedro the Lion, Weezer

posted by ryan @ 11:28 PM