The cover version has become a maligned format in recent years. A conveyor belt of talent shows has made performing other people’s songs a well trod road to success. Yet all too often cover versions seem to slip in to realm of karaoke rather than add anything original. With this in mind Shazam has dug through the archives to unearth some of the more quirky, unique and downright weird re-versions of songs we could find.
The Fall – Lost In Music (Cover of Sister Sledge)
The Fall’s lead singer Mark E. Smith is one of the most grumpy men in music. The list of former band members who he’s sacked/fallen out with/physically attacked is now around 30 people long. His gigs are known for being haphazard affairs where you are just as likely to hear a volley of expletive abuse as you are your favourite song. Even his close friends would admit he’s cantankerous and confrontational. In short, he’s not the sort of man you would imagine spends much time letting lose in glamorous night clubs: which makes his guitar lead take on Chic’s most glittery disco moment all the more perplexing. If Bernard Edwards had lived in Salford this might have been the music he would have come up with.
Afrodita – Modelito (Cover of Kraftwerk)
This is a Mexican twist on the most Germanic of German bands, Kraftwerk. This breezy re-work of the model transports the Düsseldorf robots to the southern hemisphere and the results are remarkable.
Michael Jackson’s legacy keeps on beating records. After his tragic death last year turned his entire back catalogue into a global selling phenomenon once more, his record company promptly offered to the singer’s state the biggest ever deal in music history; an estimated £250 million for 10 projects over the next seven years.
The king of pop’s archives were rumoured to have at least three albums worth of unreleased material; the first of them, ‘Michael’, will be released on December 13th and is expected to be a big attraction in the lucrative Christmas market. Details of its content are still sparse, but it is expected to include material Jackson was working in to follow his live comeback in London with a new record, his first since 2001’s ‘Invincible’.
A handpicked selection of collaborators have helped completing the unfinished recordings and the first taste of the album, ‘Breaking News’, can now be streamed at the superstar’s official website.
‘Misdemeanour’, originally recorded in 1975, is a great but often overlooked slice of pop influenced soul. Sung by the 11 year old Foster, the record perfectly emulated the sound of the young Michael Jackson; so much so that the original version of ‘Misdemeanour’ is often mistaken for a lost Jackson 5 record. Now, new British production outfit the CB’s have taken the song and given it an almost note perfect reworking. Already finding favour with DJ’s such as Craig Charles, who runs the UK’s premier funk radio show on BBC 6 Music, ‘Misdemeanour’ is sure to go down well with all fans of vintage soul.
For more info you can check out Jam City Record’s MySpace
Most of the office have been hip-hopping away and having a gay ole time at Glastonbury, I however having been holding the fort and keeping abreast of all the latest news. It won’t be new to hear of MJ’s passing and everyone has marked it in their own special way….I like this cover of “Black or White” by the supremo-talented Clark of The Gay Blades…..
The 25th of June 2009 will be remembered as a sad day for music. Today the King of Pop has passed away victim of a heart attack, a few weeks before his much talked-about big live comeback in London was planned. As the world mourns the loss of one of its most iconic popular figures, Shazam wants to join the millions of tributes currently occurring around the globe by digging in the youtube archives and putting together a video compilation with some of Michael Jackson’s most important artistic moments through an unparalleled career extended over five decades, from the beginnings in his childhood next to his brothers The Jacksons 5 to more recent shows and public appearances. Our glimpse at Michael’s career after the jump Read more…
