Thursday, August 29, 2013

29 August 2013 - Hannah Trigwell - Wide Awake & Want U Back (Boyce Avenue feat. Hannah Trigwell)

The YouTube Artist Series returns today with a pair by a young woman from Leeds.  Whereas in the past, we have featured a lot of electronics and some looping in this category..... well, today, this is completely acoustic.

Thanks to the magic of YouTube, this onetime street musician has a chance to find a bigger audience than a Leeds street corner.

Let's open with a straight reading of Katy Perry's #2 hit from 2012 and the closing credits of Part of Me.  The song is a little stark in arrangement - slight percussion courtesy of Daniel from Boyce Avenue, but mostly Hannah and her guitar - but spot on.



Of course, this week would be incomplete if we didn't include some sort of Cher Lloyd hook. Her biggest hit (which we featured over on WGP some time ago) is re-imagined (and in several spots, re-lyriced) to be a duet (again with Boyce Avenue).... and one that is far more melancholy than the original.



I encourage you to check out her original music over on iTunes, as well as her official website.  She's really solid, and it's good to support small artists like Hannah Trigwell.  Also, here's a little unbilled bonus for you - her cover of "Electric Feel", a song that we've seen at least twice before on this little blog - once by Katy Perry, a cover that this version seems to emulate.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

28 August 2013 - Avenged Sevenfold - Linoleum

Avenged Sevenfold just released their sixth album Hail To The King yesterday which I'm sure I'll check out at some point as they are one of the better "popular" hard rock/metal bands around. Check out this live video of them playing one of my favorite NOFX songs (the sound's a bit rough but they certainly rock it). Oh yeah, just like the original, A7X screams one naughty word that starts with the letter "S" and rhymes with sit so put the "earmuffs" on the kiddies or your boss.

Tuesday, August 27, 2013

27 August 2013 - Billy Ray Cyrus - Achy Breaky Heart

Don't tell his heart what his daughter did at the 2013 VMAs......

Sure, his daughter has one of the biggest hits of 2013.   And sure, everyone thinks she's lost her marbles.  But Billy Ray.... well, he had a hit that endures. And sure, it's a hit that gets a lot of slag, but it's a clever, well-crafted little song.

Besides, it's a cover of an obscure country song.  So Billy Ray just chose well.

Monday, August 26, 2013

26 August 2013 - The Killers - Don't Look Back In Anger

There's nothing particularly special about this Oasis cover by The Killers. So why am I posting this video? Simply put, I love that awesome communal concert experience when a chorus of thousands join together to sing an epic song (in this case a modern rock anthem).

Friday, August 23, 2013

23 August 2013 - Tegan & Sara - Umbrella

Even though the sound on this Tegan & Sara concert video is kind of so-so, I'm totally digging their new wavy take on Rihanna's smash hit Umbrella. Imagine how much cooler this cover could be if twins hit the studio and recorded it.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

22 August 2013 - Jon D. and Rebecca Black (!) - We Can't Stop

You read that post title correctly.   Rebecca Black. THAT Rebecca Black.

It's really Jon D.'s song - and well done - but - and I hope you're all sitting down for this - Rebecca Black steals it.  Right out from under him.  His performance is absolutely spot-on and cool, but hers is practically sublime.  It's almost like she knows about partying, partying, yeah, fun, fun, fun, fun.

Now, if I may editorialize for a minute, and elaborate on what I said HERE about Rebecca Black..... "Friday" was a poorly written song, and Rebecca didn't write it.  She only recorded it.  This, on the other hand, is a well-written song.  And, guess what?  She performs it earnestly and she performs it well.

And Jon D. - he's pretty good, too.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

21 August 2013 - Arctic Monkeys - Red Right Hand

Shameful admission: I just started to get into the Arctic Monkeys a few weeks ago. Welcome to 2007 Scott. Maybe next I should check out a hot new band like Vampire Weekend. Despite my occasional lack of indie cool, I know a great cover when I hear one. I found this Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds cover last week when I posted the Arctic Monkey's latest video at Your New Favorite Song. I really like this rockin' version Red Right Hand a lot, even though it's obviously not as menacing as Cave's original.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

20 August 2013 - Buena Vista Social Club - Clocks

So, I'm sitting around the other night and this song comes on.  And, about a minute in, I exclaim:

"Hey!  This isn't Coldplay!"

This particular group that calls themselves Buena Vista Social Club were spearheaded by Ry Cooder, and are not really the group from the famed 1940's Cuban dance hall.  No matter.  This version of the song replaces the huge bass and piano sound with a more intimate horn section.  And it works, beautifully.

Monday, August 19, 2013

19 August 2013 - Rachele Lynae - Acapella

WOW! I actually scooped Tony with a Karmin-related post. Regular Totally Covered and Wicked Guilty Pleasures readers should know that he's been pretty high on the Boston pop duo. Ahhh, remember the day he "shamelessly" did three separate Karmin posts here? (he's also done four Karmin posts at WGP in the last year . . . nothing wrong with that, I think I've done just as many Miranda Lambert posts at Your New Favorite Song in the past year . . . if not more)

Anyway, I was flipping through my Twitter feed last Friday afternoon and saw that up-and-coming country singer/songwriter Rachele Lynae posted a link to her countrified cover of Acapella. Of course I was all over it. Turns out Karmin dug it too as they posted on Saturday: "This girl did a sick country rendition of #KarminAcapella!" and included a link to Rachele's video. Very cool of them. So check out this fantastic Karmin-approved video and then head on over to Rachele's website and sign up to get 7 free songs (I assure you they are all aces!). While you're at it, give her a follow on Twitter.

Friday, August 16, 2013

16 August 2013 - The Avett Brothers - In The Aeroplane Over The Sea

This is certainly not a "WOOOHOOO!!!! It's Friday, let's party!!!" cover, but it's tremendous nonetheless. What we have here is The Avett Brothers playing a very true to the original cover of one of my favorite Neutral Milk Hotel songs.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

15 August 2013 - Traci Lords - Walking in L.A.

I'm sure a few of you did a double take when you saw the title of today's post?  I mean, isn't Traci Lords that porn star that threw herself an 18th birthday party after starring in pornographic films for more than two years?

The birthday party is urban legend.  She was arrested for starring in underage porn, though.  That's true.

However, those early mistakes gave her great opportunities in legitimate acting and in music.  She is a real hitmaker on the dance music charts, believe it or not.  This cover of the Missing Persons classic is from 2004, and actually premiered on the Oprah Winfrey Show!  It's kind of a chilled-out reading of the song - very deadpan, very cool, very fitting.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

14 August 2013 - Ed Sheeran - Wayfaring Stranger

When I saw Ed Sheeran this spring I was very impressed with how he crafted his songs live utilizing just a guitar and his loop pedals. He literally was a one-man band and it was awesome to watch. Well here's Ed in a studio performing the old American spiritual/folk song Wayfaring Stranger and you can see him working his loop magic up close. Very cool.

Tuesday, August 13, 2013

13 August 2013 - Erasure - Solsbury Hill

I was in Rite Aid one day.  I don't remember what I was doing in Rite Aid.  That's not really the important part of the story.

The important part of this story is that, on the in-store radio, I heard the Peter Gabriel song "Solsbury Hill".  Except it was an electronic song.  And it sounded a lot like Erasure.  But I thought Erasure solely did Abba covers?

Well, long story short, I went home and looked it up.  Indeed, it was Erasure, and the cover was pure electronic magic.  And now I'm posting it for your enjoyment.

Monday, August 12, 2013

12 August 2013 - Kellie Pickler - White Lightning

Here's the irresistibly adorable Kellie Pickler playing George Jones' White Lightning live from the SiriusXM studios. I just found out that she's playing somewhat near my house next month. Shame I already have tickets to another concert that night. Someday I'll get a chance to see Kellie perform. Someday.



Check out Kellie's latest video with her Dancing With The Stars partner Derek Hough right here and also see links to the zillions of other times I've written about her.

Friday, August 9, 2013

9 August 2013 - Emily Kopp - Brave

Orlando's Emily Kopp is a soul-infused indie pop singer/songwriter on the rise. Between touring the Southeast and finishing her debut album Serendipity Find Me (out on Oct. 15th), she found the time to record this rockin' Sara Bareilles cover. Check out this video and then give her a follow on Twitter @EmilyKoppMusic.

Thursday, August 8, 2013

8 August 2013 - The Volunteers - Volunteers

I was fascinated by a band covering the song that gave them their name.  I rarely feature covers that are not great on here.  This cover is earnest, at the very least.  Enjoy.

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

7 August 2013 - Dustin Lynch - Friends in Low Places

I had scheduled a Dustin Lynch post for Tuesday at Your New Favorite Song to celebrate seeing him, Little Big Town and Keith Urban Thursday night. But that obviously didn't happen. Either I thought yesterday was Monday or I forgot how many days were between Wednesday and Thursday. Total space case. Anyway, I already posted Dustin's Bruno Mars cover this past March, so here he again, this time playing a Garth Brooks barroom classic.

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

6 August 2013 - Set Sail - Bittersweet Symphony

What if you took all the attitude out of a really angry song and replaced them with good vibrations?

Set Sail has the answer for you today.  From Sydney, Australia, these guys bring a live fiddle into The Verve's classic anthem full of opulence and pretension.  And they manage to strip out the opulence and pretension.  It becomes an earnest tribute to life in their bright and cheery hands.

Friday, August 2, 2013

2 August 2013 - Grouplove - Party Hard

Here's a shockingly tender and sunshiney acoustic Andrew WK cover by Grouplove. I like how they got into the spirit of the song by recreating Andrew's iconic look from the I Get Wet album cover.

Thursday, August 1, 2013

1 August 2013 - Katy Perry - Your Love & (the irresistible) Electric Feel

Let's kick off an August to Remember with Katy Perry covering The Outfield!  Those of you who are readers of Wicked Guilty Pleasures will recall that Ms. Perry was our 1st Hall of Famer.



Katy is so awesome, she got a cover on Wicked Guilty Pleasures.  Here is her cover of "Electric Feel", the MGMT classic.  It's a work of art.