Cover #116: Cowboy Junkies cover "Sweet Jane" by The Velvet Underground

 Cowboy Junkies have covered this song a lot, in several different arrangements.  They've performed it live on The Tonight Show and Saturday Night Live, where I first heard their version.  Unfortunately the SNL police are ruthless on YouTube, so for the moment at least I can't re-watch that performance, which I remember being scary good.  The Cowboy Junkies studio version is pretty good, which I'm listening to at the moment, but if you can find the SNL version, the "la-la-la-la" part toward the end will make the hair on your forearms stand on end.  ✅✅✅✅

Cover #115: Rufus Harley covers "Windy" by The Association

 You haven't really lived until you hear a contemporary jazz rendition of a soft rock hit in which the lead instrument is the bagpipes.  You heard me- a jazz ensemble led by a bagpipe player covering this tune of all things.  Does it work?  I can tell you I'd much rather hear this than the original.   ✅✅✅

Cover #114: Demolition Doll Rods cover "Amazing Grace" by traditional

 If you are looking for a really cool modern take on this church staple, you have come to the right place.  The Detroit garage rock folks behind Demolition Doll Rods paint this up in perfect garage punk glory, with a no frills drum beat and slightly gritty vocals.  The real star here is the guitar, with plenty of sputtering fuzz throughout and a tasty blues influenced solo.  I'm sure this tune has been covered a zillion times (I'm too lazy to look it up at the moment), and I have heard quite a few renditions by both Christian and secular artists, but this one is definitely one of the best versions I've heard.  ✅✅✅✅

Cover #113: Metal Urbain covers "Rock and Roll" by Gary Glitter

 Metal Urbain, the French cold wave titans, do their best to breathe some new life into this sports arena classic.  Do they succeed?  The primarily French vocals and voices make for a nice change.  Think of it as part Thomas Dolby, part The Art of Noise, and part I'm not sure who.  It's not stunning but it's a keeper worth an occasional listen.   ✅✅✅

Cover #112: The Courettes cover "Never My Love" by The Association

 Skipping ahead a few songs on the all-cover album by The Courettes we get to this old chestnut by The Association.  As with the Sam and Dave song, we get a pretty by the numbers cover, albeit with the signature garage rock flavor inherent with The Courettes.  Personally I would have liked a more radical version of this song, but at least it is an improvement on the original for me.  

✅✅✅

Cover #111: The Courettes cover "Hold On, I'm Comin'" by Sam and Dave

 The Courettes have a new all-cover songs album out, and it is pretty good.  First up on the record is a cover of this well-known soul classic.  On the surface it is a pretty faithful cover, but I can hear quite a few bits of interesting stuff going on the background-  I'll have to try this with headphones to see what I can discern.  (Hang on.  Okay, I'm back).  With the ol' headphones on I can better hear the background vocals, including some really faint "la la la las."  The organ is also pretty far back in the mix, but I can hear it better with the headphones.  Hmm.  So while this is a pretty straightforward cover, I like what's going on deep in the mix.  ✅✅✅✅