Monday, January 26, 2009
And we kissed as if nothing could fall...
You know what Garfield hated? Mondays. You know what he loved (besides lasagna)? Stealing content from Pitchfork about charity comps. So this one's for you, Garfield (kisses fingers, pumps chest, points to heaven).
I had heard about this a bit ago, and had forgotten what it was called, who was involved, et. al. and etc. Long story short, there's a War Child comp coming out in February* where the twist is: a bunch of older artists select the newer artists who would cover their songs. So we get the Hold Steady covering Springsteen (insert sex-face emoticon here), and this: TV on the Radio doing "Heroes."*
Now, I had been thinking recently about cover songs and what the point was. Sure, an artist gets to perhaps show some respect to something that inspired him, but what does it mean for the listener? And what's the point if it's just a note-for-note echo? Covers should pay respect while perhaps bringing a new perspective to something that maybe has an iconic status.
And this is what a cover should be. Know that "Heroes" might be one of my favorite all-time songs, and the cover respects the original while bringing something new to the party. But it doesn't eff with it just for the sake of effing with it. You're not going to mistake this for the original, but it touches all the right notes at all the right times (mostly iconic guitar lines). It's TV on the Radio covering Bowie, not trying to sound like Bowie or forcing some song into the TV on the Radio mold.
I don't know if I've been this excited about a charity comp since No Alternative, which is the charity comp version of DiMaggio's hit streak - it shall never be topped.
Speaking of charity, I don't think I was being very charitable to my digestive system or my blood sugar when I went to town on this family pack of Pull-n-Peel Twizzlers. Ugh. And let it be know that right after I wrote "ugh" I reached into the bag for another one. I don't know how to say this, but I'm on the road to dee-ah-beat-es?
* What is it about February and buzzed-about charity comps? It's like 1987 all over again, when the movie-going public had to make the choice between three body-switching comedies (18 Again; Like Father, Like Son; and Vice Versa). Some people like to throw Big in there, but that's just stupid; he doesn't switch places with anyone. Christ, you people disgust me.
* Of course, we also have McCartney choosing Duffy to cover "Live and Let Die." Paul, this is the kind of thinking that leads to Michael Jackson buying the Beatles' catalog out from under you nose.
I had heard about this a bit ago, and had forgotten what it was called, who was involved, et. al. and etc. Long story short, there's a War Child comp coming out in February* where the twist is: a bunch of older artists select the newer artists who would cover their songs. So we get the Hold Steady covering Springsteen (insert sex-face emoticon here), and this: TV on the Radio doing "Heroes."*
Now, I had been thinking recently about cover songs and what the point was. Sure, an artist gets to perhaps show some respect to something that inspired him, but what does it mean for the listener? And what's the point if it's just a note-for-note echo? Covers should pay respect while perhaps bringing a new perspective to something that maybe has an iconic status.
And this is what a cover should be. Know that "Heroes" might be one of my favorite all-time songs, and the cover respects the original while bringing something new to the party. But it doesn't eff with it just for the sake of effing with it. You're not going to mistake this for the original, but it touches all the right notes at all the right times (mostly iconic guitar lines). It's TV on the Radio covering Bowie, not trying to sound like Bowie or forcing some song into the TV on the Radio mold.
I don't know if I've been this excited about a charity comp since No Alternative, which is the charity comp version of DiMaggio's hit streak - it shall never be topped.
Speaking of charity, I don't think I was being very charitable to my digestive system or my blood sugar when I went to town on this family pack of Pull-n-Peel Twizzlers. Ugh. And let it be know that right after I wrote "ugh" I reached into the bag for another one. I don't know how to say this, but I'm on the road to dee-ah-beat-es?
* What is it about February and buzzed-about charity comps? It's like 1987 all over again, when the movie-going public had to make the choice between three body-switching comedies (18 Again; Like Father, Like Son; and Vice Versa). Some people like to throw Big in there, but that's just stupid; he doesn't switch places with anyone. Christ, you people disgust me.
* Of course, we also have McCartney choosing Duffy to cover "Live and Let Die." Paul, this is the kind of thinking that leads to Michael Jackson buying the Beatles' catalog out from under you nose.
