Here is another cover from the Stereogum covers compilation I mentioned in the previous post. Ratboys put in a pretty straightforward version that still manages to give of some fresh aromas, mainly because of the female vocals and the more garage sounding production. This isn't going to knock your socks off, but it is fun as hell.
✅✅✅
I always wonder what makes some artists perform cover songs in a skin tight replica of the original, rather than taking advantage of their native style (or genre). I thought of this as I listened to this version of the ol' Zeppelin staple, waiting in vain for Mastodon to do something Mastodony. "Any second now," I thought, "they are going to break out the jackhammers and break this song open." Nope. They play it safe and unimaginative all the way through. At least Heart brought out a gospel choir to save their version.
✅✅
I just ran across this cover today, and it makes a little sad because it reminds me that I was supposed to see Zepperella at a small venue late spring of 2020, which of course was cancelled due to the COVID pandemic. What we have here is an extremely close proximity of the original in terms of music (nothing exciting but bonus points for not closing the song with a fade-out) which allows you to put all of your attention to the vocals. Ms. Hart is a hearty blues voice that matches well with the song. This may not be the most exciting cover, but it is well performed.
✅✅✅
I don't much care for the original because it is boring and it reminds me (along with "Nothing Else Matters") of how and when Metallica permanently went off course. I can, however, see how this song lends itself to a lot of different cover interpretations, including this one by the talented Inuk artist Elisapie. She provides a laid back cover with some really cool touches- light pow-wow drums, periodic animal sounding squeaks and squeals, and gentle vocals. If I never hear the Metallica original ever again I will be just fine, but I would like to hear this version often.
✅✅✅✅✅
This cover starts off promising enough: it's a bit of a mashup with Rick Derringer's "Rock and Roll Hoochie Koo" in the beginning, then straightens into a more direct cover which wouldn't be so bad except the tempo is too slow. When we get to the extended outro vocals (Johnny "Guitar" Wilson on the original, Adrian Belew in the Baby Snakes video and various 1977 live editions) we get a female lead that sounds about as flat and uninterested as she could be. This cover is a promising idea that unfortunately does not work.
✅✅
This will probably qualify as an "under the radar" cover version; after all, we are working with an almost twelve-minute original by a Japanese guitar noise band that is not exactly a household name. Les Rallizes Dénudés had a small but devoted following in their 1970s heyday, and they are exactly the kind of artist that brings to mind the Nurse With Wound universe. Now normally I would through up my ears in frustration at a cover that is so close in sound, texture, and performance (both the original and this cover are exactly 11:44 in length), but this is so obviously a work of loving respect that it works just great. Far from being karaoke, this is a supremely talented artist paying deep respect to an influential forebear.
✅✅✅✅
First off, you must, I repeat must, see the video for this. It will change your life. That poor singer/bass player looks like a But since I'm supposed to write about the cover itself, I won't say too much about the video, except that is the best roller skating dance ever! Honestly, that might just be in my top three dances along with Pee-Wee's "Tequila" dance and Napoleon Dynamite's Vote For Pedro epic.
I actually bought a picture sleeve of the original single just because the entire enterprise is so cheesy- but not just cheesy, late 1970s European cheesy. Oh yeah, what about the music? Well, it's a sad fin-de-decade attempted funk take on the classic song. It's not very good, but I am so happy that Gilla did this cover because if they did not, would they ever have made such an awesome video?
✅ ✅
(p.s. how in the world did Beavis & Butthead miss this one?)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdE1GiolIkc
