Re: Allison's Cover Songs

Oh, I'm sorry. I was under the impression we were putting together an "ultimate" playlist, not a "best of indie/newwave/shoegaze" playlist. Please ignore my attempt to cover different genres (although I've been clearly neglecting world music and christian death metal) and decades. From now on, I will try my best to be more narrow-minded about my choices and include more hyperbole in my assessments.

That said, I think we need to clarify what we're doing here. We're making a playlist that both you and I would love. I have no problem with that, but let's try not to be misleading about making an "ultimate" playlist because any "ultimate covers playlist" without All Along the Watchtower is ridiculous. It'd be like having a "greatest countries ever" list compiled by a bunch of euro-tards that excludes America.

Ok enough of the preachy shit. Here's my take on your songs, and which ones I'd like to have on our "favorite" covers list:

HELL YES!

+ Ted Leo - Dirty Old Town - 2:47
I'd never heard him cover this, and it's fantastic. I could've done without the first 40 seconds of him talking, though. There are two reasons I never became a musician. First, as this video reinforces, I don't have enough self-confidence to fill time between songs with awful, useless banter. Second, I'm not good enough, but that's neither here nor there.

+ The Last Town Chorus - Modern Love - 4:27
Wow. I couldn't believe I was listening to Modern Love. Although skeptical at first, this is one of those slowed-down covers that doesn't turn out to be a total bore fest.

+ She & Him - You Really Got a Hold On Me - 3:59
You're totally exploiting the fact that I'm in love with both of them. I'd never go so far as to say they're overrated, or that they're a guilty pleasure, but they're not mind-blowingly good, either. If this were an "ultimate cover" playlist, this would probably be a "Hell No." Clearly it's not, so let's throw it on there!

+ Iron & Wine - Such Great Heights - 4:13
Two Postal Service songs on one list? God we're awful.

+ Jimmy Eat World - Spangle - 4:38
Oh man...whoever overlayed this with the ROA scene is a genius. I can't believe we both missed this one for The Saddest Songs.

+ Get Up Kids - Alex Eiffel - 3:02
Great pick.

+ Youth Group - Forever Young (4:30)
Damn this is such a perfect example of paying homage to the original in an epic way.


MEH

+/- Editors - Orange Crush - 4:17
Probably the best one not included above.

+/- Owen - Femme Fatale - 3:35
He's great. This cover is mediocre.

+/- Galaxie 500 - Ceremony - 5:57
I'm kinda surprised you put this on here. Joy Division is one of your favorite bands, and this cover doesn't even touch the original, so I figured you'd hate this. I'll agree on The Killers Shadowplay totally blowing, though.

+/- Ben Folds Five - She Don't Use Jelly - 4:11
This is a very good cover, but I think the Ben Folds and Rufus Wainwright cover of Careless Whisper is his best.



+/- Mates of State - These Days - 3:33
Pretty cool. I like Nico and Jackson Browne's versions more.

+/- The Futureheads - Hounds of Love - 3:03
Can't tell if I like this yet. That means I don't hate it, but I certainly don't feel a whole ton of joy listening. Joy must've been what they were aiming for, with their cheeky "oh oh oh's" and cute puppy playshit. I'd probably be happy if I weren't sweating my balls off in my apartment.


HELL NO!

- Sun Kill Moon - The Ocean Breathes Salty - 4:33
Remember what I said about The Last Town Chorus' Modern Love slowing it down and not being totally fucking boring? That was win, this is fail.

- Jim Sturgess - I've Just Seen a Face - 1:51
Hmmmmmmmmmmm no. Don't get me wrong, I'm also one of the few people who loved Across the Universe, but this one is more about the scene than it is about the song. Without the scene, the song falls flat. Also, as far as Beatles covers go, it's no good.

- The Shins - We Will Become Silhouettes - 3:01
You really love the Such Great Heights EP, huh? There was one summer where I totally played Give Up and two of the Postal Service EPs to death (this and District Sleeps Alone Tonight), so I have a good handle on the comparisons. The original We Will Become Silhouettes and Nothing Better are my two favorite Postal Service songs, and the Shins cover does absolutely nothing for me.

- Mandy Moore - Drop the Pilot - 3:43
Hahahahahaha good one, Allison.

- LCD Soundsystem - No Love Lost - 3:40
I don't get it with LCD Soundsystem. They seem like one of those bands that people love because Pitchfork or some douche music snob told them to. I don't like this cover, I don't really like their music, so don't try to convince me otherwise.

Love,
Evan