Under The Covers of A Good Cover (Song)

Sometimes though, there’s no place to hide

Very often, musicians resort to cover somebody else’s song(s). Some would say that this could be out of laziness or lack of personal inspiration.

Sure, that is sometimes the case, and what we get is something that just goes through the motions. Yet, what if the covering artist is really inspired by the original and puts all of his/hers/theirs soul into the cover?

Such inspiration can bring some incredible results that sometimes even reach the level of the original. Still, in most cases, it lies in the ear of the beholder.

Now Neil Young’s ‘After The Goldrush’ is one of the more covered songs around. According to the Second Hand Songs site, it was actually covered 65 times (did they miss any?). One of the more inspired ones is by the seventies British folk trio Prelude and it possibly reaches the level of the original, but, then, that is a personal thing.

For quite a few other artists, it just might be a better thing if they try to stick to something of their own…

Lionlimb - Loveland Pass

Lionlimb, aka Stewart Bronaugh, decides for the latter path, and it is always refreshing to hear somebody trying to inject something of their own into something like a pop song. Making something new within a strictly defined (pop) formula is usually the hardest thing to do, and Lionlimb does it here.

Emily Rogers - The Chain

If there’s a man in indie music that can be compared to a cat, due to that animal’s nine lives fame, it is certainly musician/producer Kramer. Coming up, then disappearing completely, and then repeating the process quite a few times since the eighties, here he is again in an excellent producer’s role. Of course, he wouldn’t be able to do much if Emily Rogers didn’t have both a good song and great vocals to come up with this atmospheric psych tune.

CIVIC TV - Local Talent

As far as atmospherics are concerned this one by Lowell Sostomi, who goes under the title of CIVIC TV is up there with Emily Rogers above. Sostomi also turns on a more mellow mode but is also obviously inspired by some great eighties electronics bands. In the right way, that is.

Absolutely Free - Interface

This Toronto trio has been around for a while, and like CIVIC TV, draw their inspiration here from some great electro pop to which they add some layered multi-vocal lines to a good effect. Another album preview, hopefully as good as this track culled from it.

Madmess - Stargazer

These guys from Porto Portugal are all in for some good, old-fashioned guitar-dominated psych, the band name (one that all spell-checkers keep correcting) perfectly fitting. They got all the right moves and groves. Yes, we might have heard it before, but it all sounds fine nevertheless. The right way to be inspired by others.

Group Listening - Sunset Village

The idea of instrumental music with just a clarinet and piano might be too daunting (or monotonous) for some, but Group Listening tries (and do) their best to bring down any misconceptions. On their arrangement of Beverly-Glenn Copeland’s piece they are able to walk all the right paths between ambient and new age, actually steering clear of both.