A Cover-Up?

For your listening pleasure, the Vinyl Vagabonds will be playing an entire night of covers at their next listening party on Friday, October 2, from 7-9pm at Bump N' Grind.  Here's a sneak peek as to how the night may go...

Surfin' USA - Beach Boys (Chuck Berry)
This here blog is about cover songs, so why lead in with this one, not even a true cover?  Read: The foundation of the music is a cover of "Sweet Little Sixteen," but the Beach Boys do their own lyrics and significantly developed instrumentation.  Having not owned any other Beach Boys, it was surprising how it really got these swingin' VVers thinking about how artists pay tribute to other artists.  Berry obviously is a huge hero to the rockers of the 60s, so for the Beach Boys to have done a straight cover would have been perfectly cool, but for them to do this wildly different version is downright revolutionary.  At its peak, the Beach Boys' iconic, high pitched harmonizing gives way to an organ solo that quickly mashes into some lovely electric guitar.  Though it's partially a cover, there really is nothing else to compare it to, even now.

Had ta be Playin' on the Jukebox - Rage Against the Machine (Allen Ginsburg) 
Another untrue cover, but does it matter?  No.  RATM creates the riffing, but the lyrics are Ginsburg's on this flipside to People of the Sun EP.  The beat poetry slam on the absurdity in the aftermath of the Kennedy assassination makes perfect sense piped through the ballistic assault that is RATM.  Though this is in many ways a spoken word track, minus the hip-hop, it's completely relevant to the RATM catalogue in representing their political bent.  Also it's dope to hear Zack de la Rocha lacerating this poem over a psyched-out slow jam.  "WORKING TOGETHER IN CAHOOTS!"  You should listen to this.

Do You Love Me - Nirvana (Kiss) 
This is the only Nirvana song that bassist Krist Novaselic ever split vocal duties on.  He's not cut out for this type of singing, but that in no way stops him from completely going for it.  How does that pan out?  Well, it's kind of awesome in its raunchola.  Thankfully, Cobain helps it along in the right spots with his powerful vocals and the Nirvana rhythm section is furiously on point.  The fact that it's a cover of a Kiss song... Kiss sucks.  There, it's out there.  The VVers are not in the Kiss Army.  Something about Nirvana absolutely ruining a Kiss song just makes sense.

Balls to the Wall - Puscifer (Accept)
Not initially knowing it was a cover, VVer #2 thought "Balls to the Wall" was a strange, yet stand-out song included on Puscifer's Donkey Punch the Night EP.  After a chance listen to the early 80's original in the car one night, things started making more sense.  The original version by Accept has a completely metal approach while Puscifer offers two versions: "Pillow Fight Remix" or "Silent Servant El Guapo Mix" both sounding exactly as their remix description describes.  Pillow fight is a fluffy, yet still hard rendition, while the silent is, well, sans lyrics and techno-esque.  The pillow fight remix is the one to hear; the alt-goth take is confident, well produced, and f%$#*^$ing catchy!  Nice work Puscifer!

Strange Moon - APTBS (Dead Moon)
A Place To Bury Strangers takes the obscure Portland, OR band, Dead Moon, and makes it their own.  This EP is drenched in APTBS' full on, echoey, distortion while keeping the garagey sounds of Dead Moon.  What's interesting is that this entire EP is devoted to covering one band (one the VVers had never even heard of).  Usually you might get one cover on an album or an album of all covers, but of multiple artists.  Not here, APTBS crushes their tribute to these 80s/90s unknown punk heros.

Foo Fighters - Medium Rare - 2011

After hearing the sweet saxophone solos of the Gerry Raferty single "Baker Street" on a recent car ride, the VVers were reminded that they also have a different, but equally fantastic, version of it on Foo Fighters Medium Rare.  That's the best kind of way to be reintroduced to a record that has hidden in your collection for some years.  Why is this song on a Foo Fighters LP you might wonder?  Medium Rare, released in 2011, is a Record Store Day exclusive covers album, with all but two tracks previously available.  The Foo's have shown time and again that they have broad tastes that often veer into obscure gems as showcased nicely here.  This isn't some schmo covers album.  These thirteen tracks pay homage to the mostly 70's era originals with bravado.

Why not lead off the collection with the one tune on this album that challenges that whole obscurity thing?  "Band on the Run," the cover of Wings arguably most popular tune, proves that covering a mainstream hit can work if you've got the right intensity.  Dave Grohl and company absolutely slay this note-for-note cover.  They particularly master the vocal harmonies and tempo shifts here.  No small feat for this complex track.  "I Feel Free" is a lush redo of a Cream song that does a lot of the same to a slightly lesser extent.  "Life of Illusion" has some struminess and punchy drumming that work well.  It keeps the momentum moving while not necessarily being a standout.

The VVers were not familiar with "Young Man Blues," but this cover begs a listen to the original.  (Ok, the VVers couldn't help themselves and checked out the original Mose Allison track (spare, jazzy, and bluesy) as well as The Who's version, which bridges the gap.)  The Foo's recorded this one live at Austin City Limits.  Mid-track the blazing tempo pauses for a ridiculous guitar call and response.  Grohl's vocals occasionally veer into a shrill, wince-inducing yelp.  At the right volume (LOUD) it works extremely well.

"Bad Reputation" is a fun little charging number with some crunchy guitars.  It might as well be the proto-child for the next track--the Prince cover, "Darling Nikki"--as the two songs are basically about the same thing.  The difference being that "Darling Nikki" is just about the the most killer thing on this album.  Its lacerating guitars provide a punishing pace that will push you into jumping up and down territory.  It is always impressive when a band can take a song from another genre and totally make it their own as the Foo's do here.

"Down in the Park" is a nice weirdo track with some pleasing guitars shifting to and fro. At least the Foos are good at subbing out the synths of the original version with their versatile guitarmanship.  Its oddness leads nicely into the majestic Gerry Rafferty cover "Baker Street."  After you get over your shock that it is lacking that aforementioned infamous saxophone, you will realize that the whining guitar does an ample replacement job.  If only there were words for the whooo ouuu ouuuuwwws screeching in the climax of this one!

The ballad track "Danny Says" is a spot on cover of a Ramones song.  Mellow for a spell and then WHOOSH in blows "Have a Cigar" which sounds exactly how you would imagine the Foo's version of this classic Pink Floyd rocker; it is loud, gritty, screamy, and great.  The Foo's put an extra electrifyingness in all aspects of this recording.  Check out the meaty sleeve and lo and behold, the one and only Brian May is credited for lead guitars.  The VVers knew something was up!

"Never Talking to You Again" is a tight live Husker Du cover.  Short and sweet "oooh ooh oooh."  Even shorter, the 57 second "Gas Chamber" is the only track on this compilation recorded during the sessions for the first Foo's album.  The snotty sludge vibe certainly matches that LP perfectly.  Lastly, "This Will Be Our Year" is a sweet and poppy album closer.  It is... naptime.  Nice violins too.