Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Covers Project Vol. VIII

Here we go again. After eight volumes of these covers mixes there isn't much to add, although there is a small handful of surprises. Dan Kelly's stab at "Nothing Compares To You" is particularly noteworthy for its totally original, almost jaunty arrangement that magically improves on the song's dynamic. Also outside the typical Un-Herd box, the 1234 turn "Blitzkrieg Bop" into straight-up a capella doo-wop, which only reinforces the sheer mastery of melody and songcraft behind the flash of genius that was the Ramones. In a similar move, the Baseballs expose the basic rock 'n' roll roots of Lady Gaga on "Paparrazi", and Hillbilly Moon Explosion re-imagine the old synthpop chestnut "Enola Gay" as a jumpin' rockabilly ditty. And that's it for curveballs - the rest stays pretty firmly in the indie/punk/power pop wheelhouse of this blog, which is to say it's all good.

 You're Gonna Hear Electric Music 

1. Dan Kelly Nothing Compares To You (Prince, by way of Sinead O'Connor) 
2. The Ex-Gentlemen Untouchables (Generation X) 
3. Kurt Baker Hanging On The Telephone (Jack Lee, by way of Blondie) 
4. Smash Fashion Benny And The Jets (Elton John) 
5. REM Baby Baby (The Vibrators) 
6. The Feelies Barstool Blues (Neil Young) 
7. The Blue Shadows Raised On Robbery (Joni Mitchell) 
8. The Yum Yums Blame It On Suzie (Backstreet Girls) 
9. Cobra Verde Teenage Kicks (The Undertones) 
10. The Hoodoo Gurus A Hard Day's Night (The Beatles) 
11. Army Navy Right Back Where We Started From (Maxine Nightingale) 
12. The 1234 Blitzkrieg Bop (The Ramones) 
13. Green River Ordinance Go Your Own Way (Fleetwood Mac) 
14. Chixdiggit She's So Modern (Boomtown Rats) 
15. Baby Lemonade How Deep Is Your Love (The BeeGees) 
16. Jeff Dahl The Moon Upstairs (Mott the Hoople) 
17. Everclear Southern Girls (Cheap Trick) 
18. The Donnas Drive My Car (The Beatles) 
19. Hillbilly Moon Explosion Enola Gay (Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark) 
20. The Baseballs Paparazzi (Lady Gaga) 
21. The Gladhands Play On (The Raspberries) 
22. The Drive-By Truckers Strutter (Kiss)