Cover of the Week

Elegant And Stylish – Multifaceted Belgian Artist rOZZ Covers The Late Great ROBERT PALMER…

Posted on by JL

22 June 2020

A couple of weeks ago Turn Up Up The Volume named the new album ‘ELECTROMANIA‘
by Belgian singer/songwriter/musician rOZZ ‘Album Of the Day‘. You can read and hear all about it here. She’s a multifaceted, experimental and terrifically innovative and productive artist.

When doing research about roZZ for the aforementioned feature I discovered her cover of JOHNNY AND MARY, one of the most famous songs by the late great Robert Palmer. Her version is elegant, stylish, moody and respectful. A beauty.

Listen here…

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The original…

Now that you’re here take some time to discover
this remarkable artist and her new longplayer
ELECTROMANIA…

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rOZZ: Website

Raging And Rip-Roaring – Hardcore Supergroup DEAD CROSS Covers BLACK FLAG

Posted on by JL

15 June 2020

Hardcore supergroup DEAD CROSS (with Faith No More frontman Mike Patton and Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo with Retox’s Justin Pearson and Mike Crain) unleashed their wall-breaking cover of Black Flag’s anti-authority anthem RISE ABOVE referring to the Black Lives Matter protests after two black men were cowardly killed.

In a statement, Dead Cross says that their version “created in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement and staunchly opposing police brutality and systemic racism.” The anger fueled steamroller opens with a powerful audio clip of a Los Angeles resident telling
the LAPD chief to “suck my dick and choke on it.”

We are tired of your abuse
Try to stop us, but it’s no use

FUCK YOU…

Here’s the BLACK FLAG original (live version)

DEAD CROSS: Facebook

Guerrilla Time! Mean Metal Machine INTER ARMA Covers NINE INCH NAILS

Posted on by JL

Mean metal machine INTER ARMA out of Richmond, Virginia unleash a new EP
next month, entitled GARBERS DAYS REVISITED. A collection of covers recorded
‘for the hell of it‘ with their take on big tracks by Prince, Neil Young, Ministry, Cro-Mags,
and Tom Petty.

Also on the EP is a cover of MARCH OF THE PIGS. A thunderous highlight of NINE
INCH NAILS‘ 1994 album The Downward Spiral. Inter Arma‘s version is just monstrous.

It’s guerrilla time, folks! Power to the people! Highway to hell for all authoritarian world leaders! No more oppression, no more injustice, no more inequality! Stand up, get up
and fight for your right to be respected. Black Lives Matter!

Damn right…

INTER ARMA: Facebook

MARK LANEGAN And COLD CAVE Cover JOY DIVISION

Posted on by JL

To honor IAN CURTIS, the late iconic and troubled frontman of Manchester’s legends
JOY DIVISION, who took his own life 40 years ago, on 18 May 1980, Los Angeles’ post-
punk act COLD CAVE teamed up with the omnipresent MARK LANEGAN. As renowned connoisseurs of dark Goth-like nightmares themselves, this combo is just perfect for a Curtis tribute.

They picked ISOLATION to cover. Probably the most catchy Joy Division track, but also
a bleak self-reflection of low esteem by the band’s regretted protagonist. I’m pretty sure their choice refers also to the surreal lockdown days we all experience. The Cold Cave / Lanegan rendition is a respectful homage with an equally buzzing drive – rousing bass and glimmering synths – and heavyhearted vocals.

Mother I tried please believe me,
I’m doing the best that I can.
I’m ashamed of the things I’ve been put through,
I’m ashamed of the person I am.

Listen here…

Best Band Of The Nineties Covering The Best Band Of All Time…

Posted on by JL

11 May 2020

It’s no secret that the Kain and Abel brothers of rock ‘n’ roll, aka Liam & Noel Gallagher were big fans of THE BEATLES. The best band ever in history (in my book) with Liam
loving John Lennon that much that at one time, according to Noel, he started to talk
with a Liverpool accent. Mad for it as usual.

So it’s no wonder that OASIS – the best band of the 90s (also in my book) – covered
several classic songs by The Fab Four. I selected three of the best. Sing along right
here, right now…

– YOU’VE GOT TO HIDE YOUR LOVE AWAY –
(Noel solo under the Oasis banner)

– I AM THE WALRUS –
(Steamy live version – London 1995)

– HELTER SKELTER –
(Live in Tornto, 2000)

OASIS: Facebook

THE BEATLES: Facebook

Here Comes Your Woman – The Wonderful TANYA DONELLY Covers PIXIES

Posted on by JL

These past lockdown weeks many musicians comforted us. So did TANYA DONELLY (Belly, The Breeders, and Throwing Muses) who shared several covers, with all proceeds from the tracks going to different charities. She interpreted songs by Marianne Faithfull, Labi Siffre, and Bob Marley, so far.

And this week she brings another one. This time one of PIXIES most famous tracks
‘HERE COMES YOUR MAN‘. Her version is as catchy as the original, but poppier with Donelly’s voice shining as usual. Proceeds from this cover will go to the staff of Great Scott, the great Boston venue that announced that it was closing last week.

Here comes your woman…


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Check also the second track that came with the Pixies track.
It’s a cover of Belly‘s beauty ‘Stay‘ (from the band’s debut LP ‘Star‘) by songstress
Charley Stone. Donelly said about it: “I heard her version this past week, and I love it
so much that I had to include it here. Listening to her sing and play it, I feel like *she*
wrote this song, and that’s a pretty weird and wonderful feeling.”


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TANYA DONELLY: Facebook

tany

Check this album too…

L.A.’s Firm Rockers TROPE Cover TEARS FOR FEARS With Melodic Vigor…

Posted on by JL

28 April 2020

TROPE Is an alternative rock band with progressive elements located in Hollywood, LA featuring astounding vocalist Diana Studenberg.. They formed in 2016 and impressed with their debut album Eleutheromania (meaning ‘a manic zeal for freedom‘). Lead-single SHOUT is their take on the 1985 classic by British duo Tears For fears who are still going strong after a successful career of almost 40 years.

TROPE explains what the scream along anthem signifies for them“The song ‘Shout’, to us,
is a reaffirmation of value and strength of our ability to move past toxic situations and people towards the things that help elevate us emotionally and spiritually. I think it also lifts the curtain on how even when times are hard, we should never negate the value of human life. It gives a voice to people who deserve and want to be seen and heard.”

Their cover is a multilayered piece de resistance going forth and back, from hushed and shadowy – think ‘Nothing Else Matters‘ by metal icons Metallica – to towering and exultant with echoes from hard symphonic rockers Nightwish. The imposing, yet crystal clear voice of Trope‘s charismatic frontwoman Diana Studenberg lifts ‘Shout‘ to an overwhelming level. QuietLoudquiet dynamism, melodic grandeur, and thunderous sonority is what you get.
A grand performance that deserves a massive shout out

Here’s the graceful, accompanying video clip…

TROPE: Facebook

DOLORES O’RIORDAN Covering ELVIS PRESLEY – Here’s ‘IN THE GHETTO’…

Posted on by JL

20 April 2020

Hot Press 24-07. Dolores O Riordan.

Last week Irish rock legends THE CRANBERRIES reaches 1 Billion views on
YouTube for the memorable video clip of flabbergasting mega-hit ZOMBIE.

Drummer Fergal Lawler issued a message to announce the amazing news: “We are
so delighted with the news that Zombie has reached 1 Billion views on YouTube! We are
sure Dolores has a big, proud smile on her face too. Thank you so much to all our fans
around the world for supporting us over so many years. Hopefully, you are all safe and
well in this bizarre time and managing to find some hope and positivity in our music.”

The late great DOLORES O’RORDAN was unquestionably one of the most gripping
voices in rock history. She also had a gorgeous musical interest in other artists’ great
work and covered several songs on special occasions. Like here in 2007 when she sung
a passionate version of ELVIS PRESLEY‘s classic IN THE GHETTO.

Enjoy the affecting beauty here…

Rest in Peace

elvis

(Photo on top: FB – The Cranberries)

Supergroup THE JADED HEARTS CLUB Covers MARVIN GAYE…

Posted on by JL

15 April 2020

Star studded supergroup THE JADED HEARTS CLUB featuring Muse‘s Matt Bellamy, Miles Kane, Blur’s Graham Coxon and Jet’s Nic Cester have another steamy sixties
cover out. After their take on The Isley Brothers‘s Nobody But Me the picked a Marvin Gaye song.

‘THIS LOVE STARVED HEART OF MINE (IT’S KILLING ME) is a Gaye song which was released from the vaults of Motown in 1994. It’s sung now by Nic Chester who said: “Learning to sing a song like this and giving it the respect it deserves meant really studying
it with microscopic detail and then trying to forget it all again. The ease at which Marvin navigates his way through all the phrasing is so unbelievably effortless, I loved looking
at the work of someone that talented. You really recognize and appreciate the soul
of the man.”

Feel the heat here…

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And here’s the original…

THE JADED HEARTS CLUB: Facebook

ROWETTA And PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT Send Shivers Down Your Spine With JOY DIVISION Cover

Posted on by JL

coverblack

Back in 2011 JOY DIVISION‘s original bass player PETER HOOK and his band THE LIGHT recorded a 4-track EP with covers of four Joy Division crackers, titled 1102 / 2011, with the wonderful Rowetta (who recorded and still tours a lot with Happy Mondays) on vocals on
3 of the 4 tracks. It contains a spine-tingling rendition of ATMOSPHERE. With ‘Love Will Tear Us Apart‘ one of the most gripping songs the Manchester legends ever wrote. Rowetta‘s vocal performance is just breathtaking and will send shivers down your spine.

Here’s the magic…

PETER HOOK & THE LIGHT: Facebook / ROWETTA: Facebook


1102 / 2011 EP available on iTunes