Regular readers will be well aware of my infatuation with Low's most recent record, C'mon. It has inspired me to go back and listen to a lot more of their back catalogue than I ever have before. This gem of a cover version was tucked away on the third disc of their excellent B-sides & rarities compilation, 'A Lifetime of Temporary Relief'. I'm a big fan of the Smiths original, but I think this beats it both for feeling and, in the second half of the song, for raw power.
Showing posts with label Smiths. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Smiths. Show all posts
Sunday, 19 June 2011
Wednesday, 16 March 2011
Song Of The Day 16/03/2011: The Smiths - Girlfriend In A Coma (demo)
Today's SOTD is Smiths demo that has only fairly recently come to light, but that has been generating a fair number of blog posts etc. all over the internet. It's from a compilation of previously unreleased demos and instrumentals that was ripped and posted onto the internet just before Christmas. The full thing is available to download here, and there's a really good track-by-track of it here.
Billed by some as 'The Smiths go reggae', this early version of 'Girlfriend In A Coma', one of the high points on their best album, is actually more like first-wave ska, at least in the guitar part. The lilting, Caribbean feel to it gives the song an even more marked contrast between the mood of the lyrics and the music, which is what this song is all about. It seems to sit back a lot more than the officially released version, which I don't think works quite as well, but it's definitely an interesting take. Strange that it came from a man who was once quoted as saying 'Reggae is vile' to the NME (although this could well have been tongue-in-cheek, admittedly - the music press are no better than their more tabloid-focused cousins at reading subtext).
The Smiths - Girlfriend In A Coma (demo)
Billed by some as 'The Smiths go reggae', this early version of 'Girlfriend In A Coma', one of the high points on their best album, is actually more like first-wave ska, at least in the guitar part. The lilting, Caribbean feel to it gives the song an even more marked contrast between the mood of the lyrics and the music, which is what this song is all about. It seems to sit back a lot more than the officially released version, which I don't think works quite as well, but it's definitely an interesting take. Strange that it came from a man who was once quoted as saying 'Reggae is vile' to the NME (although this could well have been tongue-in-cheek, admittedly - the music press are no better than their more tabloid-focused cousins at reading subtext).
The Smiths - Girlfriend In A Coma (demo)
Monday, 7 March 2011
Song Of The Day 07/03/2011: Dum Dum Girls - There Is A Light That Never Goes Out
This is a Smiths cover from the Dum Dum Girls' newly released 'He Gets Me High' EP. The original is one of the most widely known Smiths tracks, and by extension making a cover version is an extremely brave undertaking - there are a lot of rabid, vocal Smiths fans out there who would not hesitate to point out any minor imperfections in the song. While staying close to the original enough to please fans, however, the DDGs manage to use their harsher vocals ('harsh' here is not a criticism, it just means that they have little of the croon of Morrissey) to unlock a waspish quality that I didn't realise the song had. They have put a lot of energy into the recording, and it really does stand up alongside the very best Smiths covers I've ever heard. And there are a lot of those.
I'm never really sure whether I really like the Dum Dum Girls or not. Their debut album was, in theory, perfect for me - lo-fi, girl-fronted fuzzpop. It just lacked enough proper tunes, really, which is one thing a band like this has to have. I suppose, actually, that's why they're so successful at this cover - now all they need to do is write some material of their own that can stand up alongside this. Or, of course, just do more cover versions.
Dum Dum Girls - "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" (The Smiths) by AwkwardSound
I'm never really sure whether I really like the Dum Dum Girls or not. Their debut album was, in theory, perfect for me - lo-fi, girl-fronted fuzzpop. It just lacked enough proper tunes, really, which is one thing a band like this has to have. I suppose, actually, that's why they're so successful at this cover - now all they need to do is write some material of their own that can stand up alongside this. Or, of course, just do more cover versions.
Dum Dum Girls - "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out" (The Smiths) by AwkwardSound
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)