Part 5? Yeah, it's part 5.
More cover versions! This time, unlike the last two posts, we're going back to Rock/Metal covers of Rock/Metal/Pop songs; no WaveGroup covers this time. As always, I'll be writing about the original, then writing about the cover version before offering my verdict on which version is best and why. There's no real theme to this post. I'll try to pick famous cover versions or covers of famous songs (as usual) but other than putting the more well known covers first, it's a basically a free-for-all!
Also, underneath this post is an embedded Spotify playlist containing originals and covers so you can listen along if you want.
ROUND ONE: Bad Company
Bad Company - I think I've said this is "arguably" the band's signature song in the past but when your band literally shares the name of a song from an album that ALSO shares its name with the song, there's not really any argument to be had. It's a decent track, a little plain in comparison to some of their other tracks but if you want a vocally driven song with a catchy chorus and some nice piano melodies, look no further. It's just a shame the guitar solo in the outro is weak but you can't have everything.
Five Finger Death Punch - I'll admit that this song transitions well into a Five Finger Death Punch track and the band do a good job of knowing where to be heavy. The solo isn't as excessive as other contemporary Hard Rock/Metal covers (Black Label Society and Guns N' Roses could learn a thing or two) and this song has an actual outro instead of fading out during a solo. It's a great cover alright, although I'm still not entirely sold on it. Maybe I just dislike the sound of Five Finger Death Punch but even though I can't find anything wrong with it, I still don't want to listen to it again.
VERDICT - I'm really torn on this one because even though I'd rather listen to Bad Company's original, I feel like I have more positive things to say about Five Finger Death Punch's cover. I think I've got to go with my gut and say Bad Company take the win for having stronger (albeit fewer) positive aspects. Five Finger Death Punch still pulled out a great cover and it's not surprising that their version of this song is regarded to be one of their better tracks.
ROUND TWO: The Sound Of Silence
Simon & Garfunkel - As great as this song is, I feel like Arrested Development has kinda tainted it. I can't hear this song without thinking of "I've made a huge mistake" and Will Arnett but thankfully, those thoughts dissipate once the percussion comes in. Whilst this song might be overused in the media, it's still a brilliant vocally driven Classic Rock track. The lyrics were also referenced in "The Spirit Of Radio" - Rush ("and the words of the prophets were written on the studio walls, echoes with the sounds of salesmen") so it's got that going for it too.
Disturbed - Remember when the Internet went all fangirl over this cover as if it was the greatest fucking thing since that video of the cat saying "Oh long Johnson"? I'll admit, it starts off really well. The build up and use of piano to deliver the melody are fantastic, not to mention David Draiman's restrained vocals. However, there's something about this song that reminds me of those awful covers on The X Factor during "Rock week"; it just feels artificial, staged. Then it reaches the three minute mark and just becomes silly; Draiman starts growling and I completely lose interest. However, having listened to the whole song in one sitting after taking a break from the snippets I constantly used to hear over the radio, it's not bad.
VERDICT - Definitely Simon & Garfunkel. The introduction of percussion alone is better than any single part of the Disturbed cover and whilst Disturbed did try something interesting, I feel like they were just short of a perfect cover. But hey, at least I understand why people loved this cover so much now, even if I don't share the sentiment.
ROUND THREE: Am I Evil?
Diamond Head - There are many versions of this song but I think the one I prefer is the 1982 rerecording. You know, the one with the slightly slower intro (if it helps, I believe it was the one used in Guitar Hero: Metallica, NOT Brutal Legend). Anyway, the song is still awesome from start to finish. It's almost like an Ozzy-era Black Sabbath song but done properly, from the heavy "Evil" chords at the start to the chugging riff during the vocals. Easily the band's signature song and with songwriting talents like this, it's a shame we didn't get to see Diamond Head reach the heights of their contemporaries at the time.
Metallica - Metallica assembled and recorded many covers for Garage Inc. but arguably this is the most significant. They shot into the spotlight after playing a cover of "Am I Evil?" before they recorded Kill Em All and I've got to say, it's pretty damn good. They don't really change much about it yet successfully make the song sound like their own. It sounds like something they could have written themselves although if you heard the original first, you probably won't get much out of it.
VERDICT - Whilst it's not as night & day as the last round, the win goes to Diamond Head. Both versions are great and it probably depends on which one you heard first but in cases like this, I tend to favour the original. However, at least Metallica only have one official version of this track whereas Diamond Head have about three.
ROUND FOUR: Call Me The Breeze
J.J. Cale - This is a nice, easy going Blues Rock track by the guy Eric 'Boring' Clapton wishes he could've been. It's a fairly short little tune with a simple guitar solo and vocals throughout; nothing imposing and it fades out during the outro. Other than that, there's not really a lot to comment on. Moving on!
Lynyrd Skynyrd - I think a lot of people incorrectly assume this is a Skynyrd original in the same way people assume "Cocaine" is a Clapton original (it isn't and unsurprisingly, J.J. Cale's is much better). Lynyrd Skynyrd took the original and turned it ALL THE WAY up with a tasty guitar AND piano solo, not to mention brass accompaniment and an actual outro (which is pretty rare for Skynyrd's bigger songs). Every aspect of this song is better...so guess who's getting the win.
VERDICT - Lynyrd Skynyrd take a well deserved win right here. However, if we were comparing the J.J. Cale original with the Eric 'Boring' Clapton cover from a few years ago, J.J. would be taking home the win without a doubt.
ROUND FIVE: All Along The Watchtower
Bob Dylan - Did you know that this song was a Bob Dylan track before Hendrix covered it? I mean, you do if you played Guitar Hero 5 but yeah, here it is! Bob Dylan sounds like a comedian doing a Bob Dylan impression and the harmonica throughout gets annoying pretty fucking quickly. As for the acoustic guitar, it's basically an afterthought. In other words, this song is a little shitty although if you prefer Folk to Rock, you'll probably love it.
Jimi Hendrix - Arguably Hendrix's signature song and it isn't even his. However, the changes made to the overall structure and addition of all the guitar solos (not to mention Jimi's far superior vocal range) turn this into an iconic Rock song. Whilst I'm not hugely into the track in comparison to some of his other well known songs like "Castles Made Of Sand" and "Hey Joe", you can't deny that the opening chords that flow into the first guitar solo are just perfect.
VERDICT - Easily a win for Jimi Hendrix. Despite having a slower tempo and lasting a lot longer than the original, it's a straight up classic whilst the original deserves to fade into obscurity.
ROUND SIX: Back In Black
AC/DC - After Bon Scott died and the band found a replacement in the form of Brian Johnson, AC/DC wanted to come back with a powerful Rock anthem to show fans that they were still a pure Hard Rock machine. The band chose wisely with this song containing a wealth of epic riffs, sweet solos and raw vocals and whilst Bon Scott was truly the better vocalist, Brian's voice was at its finest at the start of his lengthy stretch with the band.
Living Colour - So you might be wondering why I chose this song/cover. To me, "Back In Black" is one of those iconic Rock songs that people will ALWAYS associate with AC/DC and to cover it is inviting disappointment...until I heard Living Colour try it. The guitar is spot on throughout and whilst the vocals get a little too screechy, I wanted to include this track in the list as a way of showing that good covers of this song can exist, not just tacky ones of AC/DC tracks that existed as alternatives to the original before the band became available on Spotify.
VERDICT - Even though I like the Living Colour version, I think we all agree that AC/DC knocked it out of the park with this track. If Living Colour's vocals weren't so abrasive, they may have taken home the win here but alas, it wasn't to be.
ROUND SEVEN: Helter Skelter
The Beatles - Music historians cite this song as one of the earliest influences for the Heavy Metal genre and whilst I can agree with that statement, anyone who calls this song Heavy Metal is a fucking idiot. At best, it's Hard Rock although even by Deep Purple standards, it's more like 60s Garage. Anyway, this song was about as heavy as The Beatles got with clashing symbols, screeching vocals and chugging guitar riffs. It's a decent track although not exactly in the band's wheelhouse. That being said, I'll take it over their trippy, psychedelic, circus nonsense.
Motley Crue - Fun fact: Motley Crue also toyed with the idea of recording a cover of "Paperback Writer", the far greater Beatles song, and did play that track live a few times. However, between the two songs, I'm glad "Helter Skelter" got the studio treatment. The Crue took the blueprints for a fine Hard Rock song and beefed it up a bit, transforming it into a decent Hair/Heavy Metal tune. It's just a shame that the lyrics about going down slides don't really make the same transition as the music.
VERDICT - Whilst I'd obviously pick The Beatles over Motley Crue for overall strength of music, I'm giving the win to Motley Crue here. Heavier song needs heavier music and The Beatles just fell a little short, although they came damn close to writing a full on Hard Rock song. Maybe in an alternate timeline where they kept going long after 1970, the band rerecorded it with the necessary power it deserves. However, until interdimensional travel exists, at least we've got Motley Crue's version.
ROUND EIGHT: Oops I Did It Again
Britney Spears - For years, I thought this and "...Baby One More Time" were the exact same song. Ya know, because they sound identical. Anyway, apparently this is a different song that uses other words? Either way, it's still a generic Pop song with piano chords, basic percussion, lyrics designed by a committee to make teenage girls want to be her and horny dads want to fuck her. Whilst I'm generally not a fan of Pop music (or Britney Spears), this song certainly isn't "Toxic".
Children Of Bodom - Children Of Bodom have done some great little covers over their years but I think this is the one that everyone knows. A Melodic Death Metal cover of a Pop song. Vocally, this song is absolute shite outside of the chorus although I'm guessing that's kinda the point; it feels like it was performed sarcastically and you know what? I can dig that. Musically, it's one of the lesser Children Of Bodom tracks but they still managed to fit a solid guitar solo into it.
VERDICT - Children Of Bodom did something fun and unique with a bland song so they deserve a win. I also recommend their covers album Skeletons In The Closet if you want some other decent tunes of theirs, provided you like Melodic Death Metal.
ROUND NINE: Smoke On The Water
Deep Purple - One of the most iconic guitar riffs of all time and also one of the most basic Deep Purple/Richie Blackmore songs. Admittedly, it's a pretty great riff and there are some decent Ian Gillan vocals but other than that, it's an underperforming Hard Rock track. Weak guitar solo and goes on way too long but it's still an OK song if you haven't heard many other Deep Purple tunes. However, I bet there are bands who could do a fantastic cover of this song...
The Flaming Lips - ...just not these guys. If you haven't heard The Flaming Lips cover of "Smoke On The Water", part of me wants to recommend it just to hear how fucking terrible it is. It's the height of experimental hipster shit and once those vocals come in, you know you're in for something terrible. Similar to the Children Of Bodom song, this feels like a piss-take although unlike their Britney Spears cover, this just sounds awful.
VERDICT - I picked this song because I knew The Flaming Lips did a shite cover that you needed to know about. Obviously Deep Purple get the win and OK, maybe this entry is a little one sided so in the interest of balance, let's have a well known song with an amazing cover.
ROUND TEN: Cheap Sunglasses
ZZ Top - If you've been reading my blog for a while, you'll probably know my opinion of "Cheap Sunglasses" and indeed, early ZZ Top. Great songs but absolutely terrible mixes; flatter than day old coke and in dire need of a remaster. However, ignoring technical flaws, the song's bloody good. Great riffs, fun lyrics and a decent solo; an awesome Blues Rock track. If the mix was better, this would be the perfect Rock song.
The Sword - Now THIS is what I'm talking about. Proper dynamics whilst still keeping the grit and Blues aspects. Granted it's more like Heavy Metal than Hard Rock now but The Sword have taken this song and ramped it up. Hopefully ZZ Top will hear this and be inspired to rerecord/remaster their back catalogue one day. The Sword have also done a smashing cover of "Cold Sweat" - Thin Lizzy although because that was a B-side to one of their singles, it's harder to find online.
VERDICT - Definitely The Sword although I still like ZZ Top's original a lot.
As stated above, here's a Spotify playlist of all the songs discussed in this post so you can listen along and decide whether I'm making some good points or are just completely full of shit...or ya know, somewhere in the middle.
Showing posts with label Cover Versions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cover Versions. Show all posts
Thursday, 19 July 2018
Tuesday, 13 February 2018
Tenology: Songs That Would Make Great Rock/Metal Covers
Sometimes, you'll hear a Rock or Pop song and think "Damn, that's good but it would sound so much better by a different band/in a different style". Well, here are ten cases where I thought exactly that! In the first of this week's blog posts, I'll be writing about ten songs that I believe would sound even better if tackled by another set of musicians, whether that means they'd faithfully record a rendition of the track with their signature sound OR they'd completely rebuild the foundations of the song from the ground up in a brand new style.
The songs I've picked to be covered by different bands come from a variety of genres so I'm not limiting the originals to JUST Rock or Pop. The cover versions will be Rock or Metal but I'm hoping at the very least, this post will introduce some viewers to a new way of thinking about music, potentially giving them more joy from hearing songs as they imagine riffs and melodies played on different instruments or with a new vocalist behind the mic.
It should go without saying that this is entirely based around my opinion and that at the time of writing this blog, none of these covers actually exist. This is a purely hypothetical post; a musical thought experiment that you may or may not agree with that is in no way meant to shit all over the original songs UNLESS I state otherwise. As a result, I might include covering bands that are no longer recording music or have had new members join that don't necessarily represent the sound that I had in mind when thinking about them covering certain songs. To make things easier, I've included a Spotify playlist of the original songs and examples of music by different bands that have been responsible for my opinions here at the bottom of this post which you can listen to once the sound of me forcefully scraping the bottom of the barrel has passed.
1. "Jesus He Knows Me" - Avenged Sevenfold
Original by Genesis (1991)
I don't mind the music of Avenged Sevenfold; to me, they're a serviceable modern Heavy Metal band with a few belters and a lot of angsty crap for teens BUT some of their bigger, louder hits with double bass drumming and furious guitar solos are great. To me, "Jesus He Knows Me" is a good Pop Rock song with a catchy melody but a little too light to enjoy to the max. Genesis did a fine job of gathering all the materials; they wrote some decent lyrics, played great melodies that suit the song well and did the best they could. HOWEVER, what the song needs is a more aggressive sound to really drive home the "fuck you" subtext the lyrics contain in their damning take on evangelical con artists.
I've always wanted to hear a Heavy Metal cover of this track with double bass and more complex guitar work to keep the momentum of the song going and I feel that Avenged Sevenfold could do a fine job of that (so could Disturbed, but they've already done a Metal cover of Genesis). Plus, I reckon the abrasive sound of M. Shadows' voice would fit into the vocal melody of this song quite well; it's not a challenging track to sing so it doesn't require a vocalist capable of falsetto or long sustained lines, just one who can carry a tune. All in all, I think an Avenged Sevenfold cover that maintains and then enhances the energy from the original could be awesome, so long as they're not TOO faithful to the point that they daren't add any guitar solos or frills.
2. "Love Lies Bleeding" - Rush
Original by Elton John (1973)
NOTE: If you're listening to this on the Spotify player, you'll need to skip to around about 5:36 to hear "Love Lies Bleeding"; you don't need to bother with "Funeral For A Friend".
This is one that I may need to rethink as to whether it'd be "better" than the original but I'd still be very interested in hearing Rush tackle this cracking Elton song, especially since the original Elton John track has many elements that are typical of your standard Rush track. The guitar tone sounds pretty damn similar to Lifeson's, the active bass screams Geddy Lee and I can imagine Geddy's voice, albeit adapted slightly to suit his vocal style.
The only thing that stops me from thinking this is cover would be a surefire success is the use of piano. Rush have definitely been known for using keys in their music (fuckin' "Tom Sawyer", anyone?) but to me, Rush are more synth and less piano. However, the piano solo could very easily be played on acoustic guitar, something Rush have done MANY times. Combine that acoustic solo with the full electric sound of Lifeson unchained (especially during the outro) and you may have a damn fine cover. For more evidence that this Glam Rock song would make a fine Prog Rock cover, seek out the Dream Theater cover of the same song.
3. "Oh Well (Part One)" - The Who
Original by Fleetwood Mac (1969)
This song has had a shitload of cover versions over the years but to me, there has yet to be a perfect version of this song. Even the Fleetwood Mac original has a tepid solo that sounds great the first couple of times but would be much better with more energy behind it. To me, the perfect version of this song must have the following features: clean acoustic guitar riffs in the intro, tight vocal melodies (none of that loose, freeform shit that some Blues artists do; keep the momentum going), heavy percussion during the breakdown, sweet licks during the electric guitar solo, MAYBE a second solo at the end instead of Part 2. To this date, I have yet to find a cover version that satisfies all of those criteria. So who do I think is capable of rising to the challenge? I don't know. Who do I think COULD have risen to the challenge before they lost their magic? The Who...or Led Zeppelin, but let's say The Who for now.
They've proven that they can play clean acoustic guitar riffs with songs like "Pinball Wizard" and "Behind Blue Eyes", Daltry and Townshend have demonstrated tight vocal performances across their back catalogue, Keith Moon knows how to make an entrance when appropriate and "Young Man Blues" from their Live At Leeds record shows they know how to play a kickass breakdown with plenty of great solos/riffs. Back in their prime, The Who could've blown this song out of the water but sadly, I doubt we'll ever get a perfect version of this song. At least we've had some great attempts by bands like Aerosmith, Tom Petty The Rockets and even The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra which, to me, arguably comes the closest.
4. "Brown Sugar" - Thin Lizzy
Original by The Rolling Stones (1971)
OK, I know for a fact that this would've been amazing. Much like everything The Rolling Stones released after 1970, "Brown Sugar" suffers from sounding bland and slow compared to Rock released around that time. However, the song has a great riff and catchy melodies, just played in the most bland possible way. This got me thinking about another song with fine riffs that was played in a boring, tiresome way; "Rosalie" - Bob Seger. If you've never heard his original version of that song, don't bother. It sucks. Even his live versions suck. Fortunately, a little Irish band named Thin Lizzy took the song and covered it for their Fighting album. Granted their studio version wasn't amazing either but when they played it live, as recorded for the Live And Dangerous record, my God. It was fan-bloody-tastic!
They sped up the tempo, added some fun little solos and brought the fucking fire. Lynott's voice sounds incredible too, easily worthy of carrying Bob Seger's lyrics. Now imagine them, on the same tour on the same stage, belting out a rendition of "Brown Sugar". Slightly sped up, heavier riffing, an actual vocalist who can sing performing instead of Mick Jagger, it would be better in every single way. But no, let's keep listening to the Rolling Stones version instead of a Rock song that actually, ya know, rocks. Woooooooooo bland sugar.
5. "Hello" - Shinedown
Original by Adele (2015)
I've said in the past that Chris Cornell could've sung an amazing cover of this track similar to the Disturbed cover of "The Sound Of Silence". However, that ain't happening until we can clone him from hair samples and lizards to fill in missing genetic details so it's time to find an alternative; a band that can bring the thunder with a vocalist who sounds sort of like Chris Cornell. Oh, hey, a band like that happens to exist! They're called Shinedown and yeah, they'd also do a great job with this song. Shinedown have shown that they can belt out Cornellian vocals ("Heroes", "Black Cadillac") but also take some time out to record sensitive, emotionally driven tracks that aren't really in the Rock genre ("Misfits", "Through The Ghost").
The main thing the cover would need is a strong vocal performance. The rest of the band can basically take the day off whilst Brent Smith does his work, although the piano could be covered with muted guitar chords...or just piano. I'm not certain if Shinedown's cover would be "better" than the original but I'd still give it a listen, provided Brent doesn't phone it in. This song would be a great opportunity for him to push himself, as I can't recall a softer Shinedown song where he really pushes himself to reach similar emotional heights that Adele does. However, based on their cover of "Simple Man" - Lynyrd Skynyrd, I don't think it'll be an impossible feat. Interestingly enough, Shinedown have actually covered "Someone Like You" - Adele in live concerts before!
6. "The Moon Upstairs" - Poison
Original by Mott The Hoople (1971)
Mott The Hoople are largely known for their Glam Rock singles such as "All The Young Dudes" and "Roll Away The Stone" released around the end of the band's career. However, before David Bowie got involved, Mott The Hoople were mostly a standard 70s Hard/Classic Rock outfit with some heavy tracks like "The Moon Upstairs". It's a good song but the mix is a little weak and the fuzzy guitar/organ combo means it's difficult to appreciate the riff when it sounds like it was recorded in a pub instead of a recording studio. A good cover of this song would keep the structure the same but basically have each instrument and vocal melody sound a lot clearer, so a band with decent production values would do a solid job.
So why Poison instead of any other Hard Rock/(Hair) Metal band? Even though Poison have been ridiculed lately for their lame music and weak guitarist, their covers album Poison'd has some solid covers of 70s/80s Rock tracks, each with clearer guitar without pissing all over the original material. I feel like Poison could do this song justice both musically and vocally, as I can imagine hearing the song's riffs played in their style and it doesn't sound bad. Of course, there are probably lesser known bands that would do an excellent job at covering this song but I wouldn't bet against Poison doing a solid job too.
7. "Don't Stop Believin'" - Billy Idol
Original by Journey (1981)
I've gone on record as saying that I think this song is overrated as fuck, even if that is a slightly overrated opinion. I do not get why everybody adores this song when it's easily one of Journey's weaker Rock songs BUT I will concede that when sped up slightly, "Don't Stop Believin'" becomes pretty awesome (just like "Night Moves" - Bob Seger and "Man In The Box" - Alice In Chains). I would love a cover version of this song slightly sped up but with similar guitar tones, which got me thinking about other 80s Rock artists who could take this song on...like Billy Idol.
Imagine a version of "Don't Stop Believin'" but with a little more of a "Rebel Yell" twist. Slightly faster and with softer vocals from Mr Idol during the verses. I'll admit that the chorus might sound weaker due to Idol's rougher singing compared to Steve Perry's but everything else from the guitar solos to the build up throughout the song would be great. I'm not sure if the piano intro would be better played on keyboard or a special guitar tone but I would still love to hear this version one day, especially since this is easily more likely than most of the others in this list.
8. "Billie Jean" - Ozzy Osbourne
Original by Michael Jackson (1982)
This blog post probably should've featured more Pop songs reimagined as Rock/Metal covers but since I'm not as familiar with Pop that's in desperate need of reworking compared to Rock, this is what you've got. However, I can say with certainty that "Billie Jean" would be a great Metal song if handled properly. Hell, many Rock/Metal bands have tried to record heavier versions of this song (and I'm not counting the terrible Chris Cornell version) and they're all relatively decent. However, I reckon that 90s era Ozzy could've rocked this song in a way none of those bands could've even touched.
Imagine the opening bass on rhythm guitar with subdued bass underneath, maybe some keys/synth accompaniments underneath. Then you've got the string melody played on lead guitar before Ozzy's vocals come in. It might not have been as tight as MJ's originals but you know the sound of Ozzy's voice with each lyric dripping out of his lips would've sounded pretty cool. Then we get to the chorus, which I believe would've translated really well into Ozzy's proper singing voice. Songs like "Miracle Man" and "Perry Mason" are proof that Ozzy could sing on occasion and when you factor in the inevitable guitar solo this cover would've got? I'll say no more.
9. "Antisocial" - Samson
Original by Trust (1980)
If you're not familiar with "Antisocial" - Trust, it's a French Hard Rock/Heavy Metal song from the 80s by the band that Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain used to be in. Most people will know the French original by Trust or the English cover by Anthrax (which is a little too Punk/Thrash to me) but Trust actually recorded one with English lyrics. Same music, just without all the French words...and it sucks. Well, the chorus does. Their vocals are terrible enough to ruin the otherwise decent verses and great music. With that in mind, we need a cover of this song with music as close as possible to the original and vocals by someone who can sing them properly IN ENGLISH (although the French version is fine after a few listens).
Enter Samson! Their music sounds kinda close to Trust (particularly the guitar tones in songs like "Hunted" and "Riding With The Angels") but with a different member of Iron Maiden involved. Bruce Dickinson was with Samson before he joined Iron Maiden, channelling his best Ian Gillan imitation for most of their hits. I can imagine Bruce kicking ass covering the vocals for this song before he got into his operatic phase. Then again, I think Bruce could do justice to most songs he covered, regardless of whether it's with Iron Maiden, Samson or his solo career.
10. "Bust A Move" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Original by Young MC (1989)
The last song in the list and there's actually some justice behind this choice, which I'll explain in a bit. Most of you will probably know the Young MC track but did you know that the bassline throughout the track was written and played by RHCP bassist Flea? You did? Well did you also know that he got paid a pathetic amount of money for his work on the song too, even claiming that the record label lied about how much work he actually did when it came to writing and playing the riff? My point is that even though the original will be more well known, I think it'd be pretty good to hear the Red Hot Chili Peppers play a Funk Rock version with Flea on bass again.
However, ignoring all the financial bullshit about this track, I reckon mid-90s RHCP would do a damn fine job of covering it. Their cover of "Love Rollercoaster" in Alt-Funk style was decent and tracks like "Give It Away" prove that the band aren't against quickfire rap-like vocals. Naturally, it wouldn't be a serious cover like some of these but then, neither are many other RHCP covers.
So that's it. I'm sure there are songs I've missed that would make amazing covers but that's what you're here for! If there are Pop/Rock/Metal songs that you think would make sweet Rock/Metal covers, let me know via Twitter or the comment section.
COMING SOON: More video game posts and (hopefully soon) album reviews.
Oh, and here's the Spotify playlist!
The songs I've picked to be covered by different bands come from a variety of genres so I'm not limiting the originals to JUST Rock or Pop. The cover versions will be Rock or Metal but I'm hoping at the very least, this post will introduce some viewers to a new way of thinking about music, potentially giving them more joy from hearing songs as they imagine riffs and melodies played on different instruments or with a new vocalist behind the mic.
It should go without saying that this is entirely based around my opinion and that at the time of writing this blog, none of these covers actually exist. This is a purely hypothetical post; a musical thought experiment that you may or may not agree with that is in no way meant to shit all over the original songs UNLESS I state otherwise. As a result, I might include covering bands that are no longer recording music or have had new members join that don't necessarily represent the sound that I had in mind when thinking about them covering certain songs. To make things easier, I've included a Spotify playlist of the original songs and examples of music by different bands that have been responsible for my opinions here at the bottom of this post which you can listen to once the sound of me forcefully scraping the bottom of the barrel has passed.
1. "Jesus He Knows Me" - Avenged Sevenfold
Original by Genesis (1991)
I don't mind the music of Avenged Sevenfold; to me, they're a serviceable modern Heavy Metal band with a few belters and a lot of angsty crap for teens BUT some of their bigger, louder hits with double bass drumming and furious guitar solos are great. To me, "Jesus He Knows Me" is a good Pop Rock song with a catchy melody but a little too light to enjoy to the max. Genesis did a fine job of gathering all the materials; they wrote some decent lyrics, played great melodies that suit the song well and did the best they could. HOWEVER, what the song needs is a more aggressive sound to really drive home the "fuck you" subtext the lyrics contain in their damning take on evangelical con artists.
I've always wanted to hear a Heavy Metal cover of this track with double bass and more complex guitar work to keep the momentum of the song going and I feel that Avenged Sevenfold could do a fine job of that (so could Disturbed, but they've already done a Metal cover of Genesis). Plus, I reckon the abrasive sound of M. Shadows' voice would fit into the vocal melody of this song quite well; it's not a challenging track to sing so it doesn't require a vocalist capable of falsetto or long sustained lines, just one who can carry a tune. All in all, I think an Avenged Sevenfold cover that maintains and then enhances the energy from the original could be awesome, so long as they're not TOO faithful to the point that they daren't add any guitar solos or frills.
2. "Love Lies Bleeding" - Rush
Original by Elton John (1973)
NOTE: If you're listening to this on the Spotify player, you'll need to skip to around about 5:36 to hear "Love Lies Bleeding"; you don't need to bother with "Funeral For A Friend".
This is one that I may need to rethink as to whether it'd be "better" than the original but I'd still be very interested in hearing Rush tackle this cracking Elton song, especially since the original Elton John track has many elements that are typical of your standard Rush track. The guitar tone sounds pretty damn similar to Lifeson's, the active bass screams Geddy Lee and I can imagine Geddy's voice, albeit adapted slightly to suit his vocal style.
The only thing that stops me from thinking this is cover would be a surefire success is the use of piano. Rush have definitely been known for using keys in their music (fuckin' "Tom Sawyer", anyone?) but to me, Rush are more synth and less piano. However, the piano solo could very easily be played on acoustic guitar, something Rush have done MANY times. Combine that acoustic solo with the full electric sound of Lifeson unchained (especially during the outro) and you may have a damn fine cover. For more evidence that this Glam Rock song would make a fine Prog Rock cover, seek out the Dream Theater cover of the same song.
3. "Oh Well (Part One)" - The Who
Original by Fleetwood Mac (1969)
This song has had a shitload of cover versions over the years but to me, there has yet to be a perfect version of this song. Even the Fleetwood Mac original has a tepid solo that sounds great the first couple of times but would be much better with more energy behind it. To me, the perfect version of this song must have the following features: clean acoustic guitar riffs in the intro, tight vocal melodies (none of that loose, freeform shit that some Blues artists do; keep the momentum going), heavy percussion during the breakdown, sweet licks during the electric guitar solo, MAYBE a second solo at the end instead of Part 2. To this date, I have yet to find a cover version that satisfies all of those criteria. So who do I think is capable of rising to the challenge? I don't know. Who do I think COULD have risen to the challenge before they lost their magic? The Who...or Led Zeppelin, but let's say The Who for now.
They've proven that they can play clean acoustic guitar riffs with songs like "Pinball Wizard" and "Behind Blue Eyes", Daltry and Townshend have demonstrated tight vocal performances across their back catalogue, Keith Moon knows how to make an entrance when appropriate and "Young Man Blues" from their Live At Leeds record shows they know how to play a kickass breakdown with plenty of great solos/riffs. Back in their prime, The Who could've blown this song out of the water but sadly, I doubt we'll ever get a perfect version of this song. At least we've had some great attempts by bands like Aerosmith, Tom Petty The Rockets and even The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra which, to me, arguably comes the closest.
4. "Brown Sugar" - Thin Lizzy
Original by The Rolling Stones (1971)
OK, I know for a fact that this would've been amazing. Much like everything The Rolling Stones released after 1970, "Brown Sugar" suffers from sounding bland and slow compared to Rock released around that time. However, the song has a great riff and catchy melodies, just played in the most bland possible way. This got me thinking about another song with fine riffs that was played in a boring, tiresome way; "Rosalie" - Bob Seger. If you've never heard his original version of that song, don't bother. It sucks. Even his live versions suck. Fortunately, a little Irish band named Thin Lizzy took the song and covered it for their Fighting album. Granted their studio version wasn't amazing either but when they played it live, as recorded for the Live And Dangerous record, my God. It was fan-bloody-tastic!
They sped up the tempo, added some fun little solos and brought the fucking fire. Lynott's voice sounds incredible too, easily worthy of carrying Bob Seger's lyrics. Now imagine them, on the same tour on the same stage, belting out a rendition of "Brown Sugar". Slightly sped up, heavier riffing, an actual vocalist who can sing performing instead of Mick Jagger, it would be better in every single way. But no, let's keep listening to the Rolling Stones version instead of a Rock song that actually, ya know, rocks. Woooooooooo bland sugar.
5. "Hello" - Shinedown
Original by Adele (2015)
I've said in the past that Chris Cornell could've sung an amazing cover of this track similar to the Disturbed cover of "The Sound Of Silence". However, that ain't happening until we can clone him from hair samples and lizards to fill in missing genetic details so it's time to find an alternative; a band that can bring the thunder with a vocalist who sounds sort of like Chris Cornell. Oh, hey, a band like that happens to exist! They're called Shinedown and yeah, they'd also do a great job with this song. Shinedown have shown that they can belt out Cornellian vocals ("Heroes", "Black Cadillac") but also take some time out to record sensitive, emotionally driven tracks that aren't really in the Rock genre ("Misfits", "Through The Ghost").
The main thing the cover would need is a strong vocal performance. The rest of the band can basically take the day off whilst Brent Smith does his work, although the piano could be covered with muted guitar chords...or just piano. I'm not certain if Shinedown's cover would be "better" than the original but I'd still give it a listen, provided Brent doesn't phone it in. This song would be a great opportunity for him to push himself, as I can't recall a softer Shinedown song where he really pushes himself to reach similar emotional heights that Adele does. However, based on their cover of "Simple Man" - Lynyrd Skynyrd, I don't think it'll be an impossible feat. Interestingly enough, Shinedown have actually covered "Someone Like You" - Adele in live concerts before!
6. "The Moon Upstairs" - Poison
Original by Mott The Hoople (1971)
Mott The Hoople are largely known for their Glam Rock singles such as "All The Young Dudes" and "Roll Away The Stone" released around the end of the band's career. However, before David Bowie got involved, Mott The Hoople were mostly a standard 70s Hard/Classic Rock outfit with some heavy tracks like "The Moon Upstairs". It's a good song but the mix is a little weak and the fuzzy guitar/organ combo means it's difficult to appreciate the riff when it sounds like it was recorded in a pub instead of a recording studio. A good cover of this song would keep the structure the same but basically have each instrument and vocal melody sound a lot clearer, so a band with decent production values would do a solid job.
So why Poison instead of any other Hard Rock/(Hair) Metal band? Even though Poison have been ridiculed lately for their lame music and weak guitarist, their covers album Poison'd has some solid covers of 70s/80s Rock tracks, each with clearer guitar without pissing all over the original material. I feel like Poison could do this song justice both musically and vocally, as I can imagine hearing the song's riffs played in their style and it doesn't sound bad. Of course, there are probably lesser known bands that would do an excellent job at covering this song but I wouldn't bet against Poison doing a solid job too.
7. "Don't Stop Believin'" - Billy Idol
Original by Journey (1981)
I've gone on record as saying that I think this song is overrated as fuck, even if that is a slightly overrated opinion. I do not get why everybody adores this song when it's easily one of Journey's weaker Rock songs BUT I will concede that when sped up slightly, "Don't Stop Believin'" becomes pretty awesome (just like "Night Moves" - Bob Seger and "Man In The Box" - Alice In Chains). I would love a cover version of this song slightly sped up but with similar guitar tones, which got me thinking about other 80s Rock artists who could take this song on...like Billy Idol.
Imagine a version of "Don't Stop Believin'" but with a little more of a "Rebel Yell" twist. Slightly faster and with softer vocals from Mr Idol during the verses. I'll admit that the chorus might sound weaker due to Idol's rougher singing compared to Steve Perry's but everything else from the guitar solos to the build up throughout the song would be great. I'm not sure if the piano intro would be better played on keyboard or a special guitar tone but I would still love to hear this version one day, especially since this is easily more likely than most of the others in this list.
8. "Billie Jean" - Ozzy Osbourne
Original by Michael Jackson (1982)
This blog post probably should've featured more Pop songs reimagined as Rock/Metal covers but since I'm not as familiar with Pop that's in desperate need of reworking compared to Rock, this is what you've got. However, I can say with certainty that "Billie Jean" would be a great Metal song if handled properly. Hell, many Rock/Metal bands have tried to record heavier versions of this song (and I'm not counting the terrible Chris Cornell version) and they're all relatively decent. However, I reckon that 90s era Ozzy could've rocked this song in a way none of those bands could've even touched.
Imagine the opening bass on rhythm guitar with subdued bass underneath, maybe some keys/synth accompaniments underneath. Then you've got the string melody played on lead guitar before Ozzy's vocals come in. It might not have been as tight as MJ's originals but you know the sound of Ozzy's voice with each lyric dripping out of his lips would've sounded pretty cool. Then we get to the chorus, which I believe would've translated really well into Ozzy's proper singing voice. Songs like "Miracle Man" and "Perry Mason" are proof that Ozzy could sing on occasion and when you factor in the inevitable guitar solo this cover would've got? I'll say no more.
9. "Antisocial" - Samson
Original by Trust (1980)
If you're not familiar with "Antisocial" - Trust, it's a French Hard Rock/Heavy Metal song from the 80s by the band that Iron Maiden drummer Nicko McBrain used to be in. Most people will know the French original by Trust or the English cover by Anthrax (which is a little too Punk/Thrash to me) but Trust actually recorded one with English lyrics. Same music, just without all the French words...and it sucks. Well, the chorus does. Their vocals are terrible enough to ruin the otherwise decent verses and great music. With that in mind, we need a cover of this song with music as close as possible to the original and vocals by someone who can sing them properly IN ENGLISH (although the French version is fine after a few listens).
Enter Samson! Their music sounds kinda close to Trust (particularly the guitar tones in songs like "Hunted" and "Riding With The Angels") but with a different member of Iron Maiden involved. Bruce Dickinson was with Samson before he joined Iron Maiden, channelling his best Ian Gillan imitation for most of their hits. I can imagine Bruce kicking ass covering the vocals for this song before he got into his operatic phase. Then again, I think Bruce could do justice to most songs he covered, regardless of whether it's with Iron Maiden, Samson or his solo career.
10. "Bust A Move" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Original by Young MC (1989)
The last song in the list and there's actually some justice behind this choice, which I'll explain in a bit. Most of you will probably know the Young MC track but did you know that the bassline throughout the track was written and played by RHCP bassist Flea? You did? Well did you also know that he got paid a pathetic amount of money for his work on the song too, even claiming that the record label lied about how much work he actually did when it came to writing and playing the riff? My point is that even though the original will be more well known, I think it'd be pretty good to hear the Red Hot Chili Peppers play a Funk Rock version with Flea on bass again.
However, ignoring all the financial bullshit about this track, I reckon mid-90s RHCP would do a damn fine job of covering it. Their cover of "Love Rollercoaster" in Alt-Funk style was decent and tracks like "Give It Away" prove that the band aren't against quickfire rap-like vocals. Naturally, it wouldn't be a serious cover like some of these but then, neither are many other RHCP covers.
So that's it. I'm sure there are songs I've missed that would make amazing covers but that's what you're here for! If there are Pop/Rock/Metal songs that you think would make sweet Rock/Metal covers, let me know via Twitter or the comment section.
COMING SOON: More video game posts and (hopefully soon) album reviews.
Oh, and here's the Spotify playlist!
Saturday, 30 September 2017
Showdown: The Salentino Cuts - UFO
Yeah, I went with Showdown again.
Earlier this month, I wrote a post looking at a new Motorhead covers album, discussing the original songs and their covers before offering my verdict on which version I thought was superior for each track. I'm basically doing the exact same thing here, only this time looking at all the covers on the new UFO album.
I've also included a Spotify playlist of all the original songs and their covers at the bottom of this post, something I did once and then forgot to do for all subsequent Showdown posts. Maybe I'll go back and add them in at some point.
My verdicts are usually based on which song I enjoy listening to more but I can also factor in how creative the cover is or which track is better suited for the genre, e.g. an original Pop track covered by a Metal band might win if I feel like it's a better Pop song than a Metal one. With that in mind, let's get listening!
ROUND ONE: Heart Full Of Soul
The Yardbirds - Probably my second favourite song by this band with "Turn Into Earth" being number one, "Over Under Sideways Down" being number three. It's got some excellent vocals but is mostly built around a great guitar melody that only came about because Eric Boring Clapton wanted to focus more on Blues Rock than Pop Rock and his replacement, a little known guitarist called Jeff Beck, is a much better musician. Beck wanted to experiment with different sounds blended with 60s Rock so there's an Indian-twang to the riff. All in all, a top notch song from the 60s that isn't by The Beatles, The Who or The Rolling Stones.
UFO - Not entirely sure why the band spelled this wrong on their album but oh well, let's look past that and focus on this terrible cover. The guitar riff sounds stiff, the tempo is too slow and the vocals lack the mysticism required by the song, instead sounding tired and too Bluesy. At least the solo's been beefed up a bit, along with the guitar during the chorus, but overall this is a very poor cover to open your album with, even if the song you're covering is great.
VERDICT - Hands down The Yardbirds take this one. There's nothing redeemable enough about the UFO cover to even make me consider it winning. Great start!
ROUND TWO: Break On Through (To The Other Side)
The Doors - Another psychedelic hit, this song's best known for its vocals in the chorus and organ solo, although it's got some decent guitar riffs throughout too. It's a punchy tune that crams a lot into two and a half minutes and definitely stands out in the band's collection of iconic Psychedelic Rock as being one of their heavier tracks.
UFO - Straight away, I prefer the drum rhythm and sound of the organ and guitar together. Vocals are still poor (they would be compared to Jim Morrison's) but they don't suck as much as the last track. The guitar's a little dull in the chorus too but it's pretty sweet in the outro, giving it an extra kick. I just wish the band wasn't let down by Phil Mogg's godawful vocals.
VERDICT - Both tracks have their ups and downs but I'm going to give this one to UFO. It's never going to replace the original but it does "rock" a hell of a lot more than The Doors' version, even if the chorus is weaker. If you could combine Morrison's vocals with UFO's music, you'd probably have the perfect track.
ROUND THREE: River Of Deceit
Mad Season - I'd never heard of this song or band before this covers album but I thought it was alright. It could've been a bit shorter as I felt like the soft guitar melodies only carried the song so far and the track didn't need to build up to anything like typical 90s Alternative tracks do (think "Shine" - Collective Soul or "Closing Time" - Semisonic) so there wasn't really a reason for it to last over five minutes. Either that or make the outro a bit different to give listeners something new to enjoy.
UFO - Even though the guitar is similar to the original, I love the underlying synth and bass in this cover. It definitely stands out a bit more than the Mad Season track without drawing attention away from the other musicians. As for the vocals, I like them in this cover. They suit the tone of the song and their aged quality adds an extra layer to the lyrical nature of the song. It sounds like Mogg's pipes are best suited for the slower, more delicate Rock songs than heavy ones.
VERDICT - Despite a troublesome start, UFO are coming in with the wins here. As I said before, I enjoyed the original but if I had to listen to just one of these versions again, I think I'd pick the cover. I simply got more out of that version than the original.
ROUND FOUR: The Pusher
Steppenwolf - I usually stop paying attention to this song after the line "You know, I smoked a lot of grass". Not as an anti-drugs thing, I just find that the song becomes incredibly fucking dull after that great opening line. It follows a slight variation of the Blues Chord Progression but unlike other bands/artists that rely on Blues rhythms (e.g. Rory Gallagher), there isn't the talented soloing or interesting music in between the boring vocals to keep things fresh. Combine this with a length that's almost pushing six minutes and you've got yourself a bland ol' tune.
UFO - Well...it's a little bit faster than the original, so at least it's got that going for it? Seriously though, it's a pretty faithful cover so fans of the Steppenwolf version may get some joy out of this one. Also, there are some improvements to the guitar in between verses so people in a similar position to me who find the original lacking something might like this cover. For me though, it's still not enough to make me want to listen to it again.
VERDICT - I'm giving this to UFO again but only by a little. They've taken a meh song and made it a little less meh, earning it a win in my books. However, I feel they also deserve some kudos for not going for the obvious cover of "Born To Be Wild", a track that has been cursed to always produce terrible covers ever since The Cult ruined it.
ROUND FIVE: Paper In Fire
John Mellencamp - Back to footstompers then! This track's a belter if you like Rock with a Southern touch without becoming full-on Southern Rock, although the accordion sounds a little silly if you pay too much attention to it. It's a pretty straightforward Rock song once you strip back all the instruments but it doesn't feel like it's missing additional sections or solos. It works and it rocks, making it a great track.
UFO - Fuck me, that intro is spot on! The band use the instruments they've got to replicate a near identical opening riff and it sounds brilliant! We even get a tidy little guitar solo that fits perfectly into the melody and makes me question whether or not I'll be able to hear with original without missing it. Sadly, it pains me to say that even with the band on top form, Phil Mogg takes a shit all over the mic once again. He can't sing quick enough to keep up with the band so we get certain lyrics sung long after the music has moved onto the next section, like a lagging Youtube video with desynced audio.
VERDICT - UFO could've won this one if Mogg wasn't past his prime but as both songs stand, John Mellencamp performed the superior track.
ROUND SIX: Rock Candy
Montrose - Montrose are probably better known for having a couple of their songs covered by Iron Maiden but they were a decent 70s Hard Rock band with a guitarist capable of rocking out awesome riffs and excellent solos; a guitarist so good they literally named the band after him. This track contains a perfect example of the former and a solid one of the latter but of all the Montrose tracks known in the Rock community, this is probably the most popular one. It's a little too slow and basic for my tastes but I can understand the appeal.
UFO - Once I reached the end of this track, I had that weird moment of realisation that I'd just listened to a song that I can't remember anything about, as if I'd been the victim of a Men In Black neuralizer. Whilst this isn't the first time this has happened (most songs off Rock Or Bust - AC/DC have that effect), it's a surefire indicator that you've wasted your time on a boring song. Even though UFO haven't done much with the source material, it just sounds mediocre compared to the crunching guitar and raw Hagar vocals in the original.
VERDICT - It's really tricky to decide on a winner when I don't particularly care for either track but I will say that the Montrose original kept me listening from start to finish, unlike the UFO cover. So I suppose Montrose deserve the win for that alone.
ROUND SEVEN: Mississippi Queen
Mountain - Another Blues-based Rock song with an iconic guitar riff/intro. However, unlike some of the previous entries, this song's probably a bit better known to your average music fan. It opens with cowbell and a guitar riff that may have unintentionally inspired one of many riffs for "Seek And Destroy" - Metallica. After that, there are a few tame solos, heavy chords and raw vocals, all following another variation of the Blues Chord Progression. It's a decent tune, definitely Mountain's most well known.
UFO - Once again, the tempo's been slowed down slightly (presumably to make things easier for Phil Mogg) and even though the weight of those guitar riffs is spot on, the small guitar fills throughout the verses sound distracting more than anything else. At least the vocals aren't awful, although as I said before, I get the feeling that the musicians had to compromise in order to accommodate Phil Mogg's lack of energy. I accept that there's not a lot you can do with this song to vastly improve it but UFO found a way of making it slightly worse.
VERDICT - I wouldn't willingly choose either song to listen to but at least the Mountain original has some balls, which are needed in a song like this. Mountain rules, UFO drools, let's keep trucking on.
ROUND EIGHT: Ain't No Sunshine
Bill Withers - An interesting choice for this album, seeing as how it's pretty far from any genre of Rock out there. Despite having a majestic string accompaniment and a great piano melody, the song's carried by Bill's soulful vocals and delivery of 26 I Knows in what sounds like a single breath. It's much shorter than I originally remembered but it's still a lovely if not slightly depressing song. Now let's listen to the UFO cover.
UFO - OK, admittedly, this isn't the utter trainwreck I thought it would be based on the previous songs. The music's handled well and it doesn't have an inappropriate solo crammed in but guess what all-important factor ruins things? Yup, it's Phil Mogg and his inability to sing songs the band (and presumably him) have agreed to cover! His voice works throughout most of the track but once it gets to the I Knows, he has to pause in between, ruining the flow and use of the I Knows in the first place. I genuinely don't know why they chose to cover a song they couldn't cohesively record but oh well, it is what it is.
VERDICT - Don't cover a song you can't fucking play/sing unless you're making it your own. Bill Withers takes the win.
ROUND NINE: Honey Bee
Tom Petty - I hadn't heard this song before writing this post either but I can see why UFO covered it. It's got a heavy riff (for Tom Petty) and a slow tempo. Musically, it sounds like a beefed up Rod Stewart song and desperately needed an extra section to prevent it from going stale about halfway through. Fortunately, it deviates from typical Tom Petty tracks by containing an actual outro instead of fading out during the guitar solo so I suppose it's at least got one thing going for it.
UFO - Yup, definitely a suitable choice for the band to cover. Vocally undemanding and perfect for synchronised guitar/bass riffing. Rather than end on a lengthy solo, UFO cut it out, resulting in a shorter track that doesn't really grate on you. It's a solid cover from the band that basically fucked up everything else although that's what happens when they cover a basic song.
VERDICT - A shorter length made this song at least partly tolerable so UFO get a long awaited win. They're gonna have to go some to win this overall but maybe they've saved the best until last...maybe.
ROUND TEN: Too Rolling Stoned
Robin Trower - I feel like I've heard a bunch of songs with "rolling stoned" in the title that are all different so I'm not sure if this is a new one for me. It's a passable but uninteresting Rock song until things slow down a bit and transition into full blown Blues territory; then it turns to shit. This seven and a half minute song is boring as shit unless you're into your Bluesy guitar soloing with some dull cheering in the background to give it the impression of being a live recording. I'm actually struggling to remember anything before the Blues section so fuck this song.
UFO - Thankfully, UFO didn't outright skip the Rock part of this song like I felt they might (although they still went Bluesy at the halfway point). It's got an air of Deep Purple and Whitesnake about it in the first half with some great soloing and suitably aged vocals. The second half passes a bit quicker than the original Blues breakdown (or at least feels like it does) so admirers of Blues soloing that can't be arsed to sit through Blues soloing are better off with this track.
VERDICT - Once again, UFO did a solid cover and removed the shitty elements. I'm not saying they made this song great but UFO get a win for not making a bad song worse. Oh, and they actually had an outro instead of fading out. Nice one, lads.
ROUND ELEVEN: Just Got Paid
ZZ Top - An early one from ZZ Top before they got synth involved. A Bluesy Southern track that probably would've been better without muting the riff. At least the mix isn't flat dogshit like most early ZZ Top tracks but it's still a very plain track. Once you've got past the riff, the rest of the song is pretty much just filler with a hollow solo and outro that would be copied and improved in "Hard To Handle" - The Black Crowes, an example of an awesome cover, something I've given up hope of finding on this album.
UFO - Damn, maybe I was right about saving the best tracks until the end. The guitar riff has been improved and those drums are just what the doctor fucking ordered. Phil Mogg still struggles to keep up with the rest of the band but his voice fits like a glove. Since it's a ZZ Top song, we don't get much in the way of vocals so the guitarist is free to play away. The band also went ahead and cut this song short too; I can't say this with certainty but I'm guessing it's because they only had short periods of time to record songs in between visiting Phil Mogg at the nursing home.
VERDICT - UFO have found their groove again! The song simply sounds more like a Rock song when they play it (although it's still average by conventional standards).
ROUND TWELVE: It's My Life
The Animals - Last song on the list, although not to be confused for the Bon Jovi track! Not the strongest song by The Animals but hey, it's got a lot of bass/guitar and the vocals are simple. There isn't much to say about it other than it feels a lot longer than 3:09 when you listen to it. I'm not saying a guitar or organ solo could've improved it but I understand why songs with guitar/organ solos by this band are better known.
UFO - Fucking hell, they had to slow this down for Phil and he still sounds like a lost old coffin dodger. The fact that a pensioner is singing "It's my life, I'll do what I want" is a little distracting and maybe this is just me but even the musicians sound bored at this point. It would've been good to hear at least one song that the band did something interesting with but nope, it's all just paint by numbers. This is Rock music for boring tossers (see Rip It Up - Thunder).
VERDICT - Tough call but I'm handing the last win to The Animals. Their song doesn't sound like a musical parody designed to show us that old people are still relevant and UFO have been given enough sympathy wins.
FINAL SCORES:
UFO - 6
Originals - 6
Wow. OK, I didn't expect that. I mean, I knew UFO wouldn't win but I'm actually surprised to see they tied with the originals after the shit they put onto that album, although maybe that's just because they picked a dull bunch of songs. To their credit, they did arrange them as best as they could on the tracklist but Mogg's limited vocals resulted in poor choices. I rate The Salentino Cuts 2/10 and wouldn't recommend it to anyone that still has a pulse.
As I said earlier, here's the Spotify playlist for you to listen to (I hesitate to say 'enjoy') as you read my verdicts.
Earlier this month, I wrote a post looking at a new Motorhead covers album, discussing the original songs and their covers before offering my verdict on which version I thought was superior for each track. I'm basically doing the exact same thing here, only this time looking at all the covers on the new UFO album.
I've also included a Spotify playlist of all the original songs and their covers at the bottom of this post, something I did once and then forgot to do for all subsequent Showdown posts. Maybe I'll go back and add them in at some point.
My verdicts are usually based on which song I enjoy listening to more but I can also factor in how creative the cover is or which track is better suited for the genre, e.g. an original Pop track covered by a Metal band might win if I feel like it's a better Pop song than a Metal one. With that in mind, let's get listening!
ROUND ONE: Heart Full Of Soul
The Yardbirds - Probably my second favourite song by this band with "Turn Into Earth" being number one, "Over Under Sideways Down" being number three. It's got some excellent vocals but is mostly built around a great guitar melody that only came about because Eric Boring Clapton wanted to focus more on Blues Rock than Pop Rock and his replacement, a little known guitarist called Jeff Beck, is a much better musician. Beck wanted to experiment with different sounds blended with 60s Rock so there's an Indian-twang to the riff. All in all, a top notch song from the 60s that isn't by The Beatles, The Who or The Rolling Stones.
UFO - Not entirely sure why the band spelled this wrong on their album but oh well, let's look past that and focus on this terrible cover. The guitar riff sounds stiff, the tempo is too slow and the vocals lack the mysticism required by the song, instead sounding tired and too Bluesy. At least the solo's been beefed up a bit, along with the guitar during the chorus, but overall this is a very poor cover to open your album with, even if the song you're covering is great.
VERDICT - Hands down The Yardbirds take this one. There's nothing redeemable enough about the UFO cover to even make me consider it winning. Great start!
ROUND TWO: Break On Through (To The Other Side)
The Doors - Another psychedelic hit, this song's best known for its vocals in the chorus and organ solo, although it's got some decent guitar riffs throughout too. It's a punchy tune that crams a lot into two and a half minutes and definitely stands out in the band's collection of iconic Psychedelic Rock as being one of their heavier tracks.
UFO - Straight away, I prefer the drum rhythm and sound of the organ and guitar together. Vocals are still poor (they would be compared to Jim Morrison's) but they don't suck as much as the last track. The guitar's a little dull in the chorus too but it's pretty sweet in the outro, giving it an extra kick. I just wish the band wasn't let down by Phil Mogg's godawful vocals.
VERDICT - Both tracks have their ups and downs but I'm going to give this one to UFO. It's never going to replace the original but it does "rock" a hell of a lot more than The Doors' version, even if the chorus is weaker. If you could combine Morrison's vocals with UFO's music, you'd probably have the perfect track.
ROUND THREE: River Of Deceit
Mad Season - I'd never heard of this song or band before this covers album but I thought it was alright. It could've been a bit shorter as I felt like the soft guitar melodies only carried the song so far and the track didn't need to build up to anything like typical 90s Alternative tracks do (think "Shine" - Collective Soul or "Closing Time" - Semisonic) so there wasn't really a reason for it to last over five minutes. Either that or make the outro a bit different to give listeners something new to enjoy.
UFO - Even though the guitar is similar to the original, I love the underlying synth and bass in this cover. It definitely stands out a bit more than the Mad Season track without drawing attention away from the other musicians. As for the vocals, I like them in this cover. They suit the tone of the song and their aged quality adds an extra layer to the lyrical nature of the song. It sounds like Mogg's pipes are best suited for the slower, more delicate Rock songs than heavy ones.
VERDICT - Despite a troublesome start, UFO are coming in with the wins here. As I said before, I enjoyed the original but if I had to listen to just one of these versions again, I think I'd pick the cover. I simply got more out of that version than the original.
ROUND FOUR: The Pusher
Steppenwolf - I usually stop paying attention to this song after the line "You know, I smoked a lot of grass". Not as an anti-drugs thing, I just find that the song becomes incredibly fucking dull after that great opening line. It follows a slight variation of the Blues Chord Progression but unlike other bands/artists that rely on Blues rhythms (e.g. Rory Gallagher), there isn't the talented soloing or interesting music in between the boring vocals to keep things fresh. Combine this with a length that's almost pushing six minutes and you've got yourself a bland ol' tune.
UFO - Well...it's a little bit faster than the original, so at least it's got that going for it? Seriously though, it's a pretty faithful cover so fans of the Steppenwolf version may get some joy out of this one. Also, there are some improvements to the guitar in between verses so people in a similar position to me who find the original lacking something might like this cover. For me though, it's still not enough to make me want to listen to it again.
VERDICT - I'm giving this to UFO again but only by a little. They've taken a meh song and made it a little less meh, earning it a win in my books. However, I feel they also deserve some kudos for not going for the obvious cover of "Born To Be Wild", a track that has been cursed to always produce terrible covers ever since The Cult ruined it.
ROUND FIVE: Paper In Fire
John Mellencamp - Back to footstompers then! This track's a belter if you like Rock with a Southern touch without becoming full-on Southern Rock, although the accordion sounds a little silly if you pay too much attention to it. It's a pretty straightforward Rock song once you strip back all the instruments but it doesn't feel like it's missing additional sections or solos. It works and it rocks, making it a great track.
UFO - Fuck me, that intro is spot on! The band use the instruments they've got to replicate a near identical opening riff and it sounds brilliant! We even get a tidy little guitar solo that fits perfectly into the melody and makes me question whether or not I'll be able to hear with original without missing it. Sadly, it pains me to say that even with the band on top form, Phil Mogg takes a shit all over the mic once again. He can't sing quick enough to keep up with the band so we get certain lyrics sung long after the music has moved onto the next section, like a lagging Youtube video with desynced audio.
VERDICT - UFO could've won this one if Mogg wasn't past his prime but as both songs stand, John Mellencamp performed the superior track.
ROUND SIX: Rock Candy
Montrose - Montrose are probably better known for having a couple of their songs covered by Iron Maiden but they were a decent 70s Hard Rock band with a guitarist capable of rocking out awesome riffs and excellent solos; a guitarist so good they literally named the band after him. This track contains a perfect example of the former and a solid one of the latter but of all the Montrose tracks known in the Rock community, this is probably the most popular one. It's a little too slow and basic for my tastes but I can understand the appeal.
UFO - Once I reached the end of this track, I had that weird moment of realisation that I'd just listened to a song that I can't remember anything about, as if I'd been the victim of a Men In Black neuralizer. Whilst this isn't the first time this has happened (most songs off Rock Or Bust - AC/DC have that effect), it's a surefire indicator that you've wasted your time on a boring song. Even though UFO haven't done much with the source material, it just sounds mediocre compared to the crunching guitar and raw Hagar vocals in the original.
VERDICT - It's really tricky to decide on a winner when I don't particularly care for either track but I will say that the Montrose original kept me listening from start to finish, unlike the UFO cover. So I suppose Montrose deserve the win for that alone.
ROUND SEVEN: Mississippi Queen
Mountain - Another Blues-based Rock song with an iconic guitar riff/intro. However, unlike some of the previous entries, this song's probably a bit better known to your average music fan. It opens with cowbell and a guitar riff that may have unintentionally inspired one of many riffs for "Seek And Destroy" - Metallica. After that, there are a few tame solos, heavy chords and raw vocals, all following another variation of the Blues Chord Progression. It's a decent tune, definitely Mountain's most well known.
UFO - Once again, the tempo's been slowed down slightly (presumably to make things easier for Phil Mogg) and even though the weight of those guitar riffs is spot on, the small guitar fills throughout the verses sound distracting more than anything else. At least the vocals aren't awful, although as I said before, I get the feeling that the musicians had to compromise in order to accommodate Phil Mogg's lack of energy. I accept that there's not a lot you can do with this song to vastly improve it but UFO found a way of making it slightly worse.
VERDICT - I wouldn't willingly choose either song to listen to but at least the Mountain original has some balls, which are needed in a song like this. Mountain rules, UFO drools, let's keep trucking on.
ROUND EIGHT: Ain't No Sunshine
Bill Withers - An interesting choice for this album, seeing as how it's pretty far from any genre of Rock out there. Despite having a majestic string accompaniment and a great piano melody, the song's carried by Bill's soulful vocals and delivery of 26 I Knows in what sounds like a single breath. It's much shorter than I originally remembered but it's still a lovely if not slightly depressing song. Now let's listen to the UFO cover.
UFO - OK, admittedly, this isn't the utter trainwreck I thought it would be based on the previous songs. The music's handled well and it doesn't have an inappropriate solo crammed in but guess what all-important factor ruins things? Yup, it's Phil Mogg and his inability to sing songs the band (and presumably him) have agreed to cover! His voice works throughout most of the track but once it gets to the I Knows, he has to pause in between, ruining the flow and use of the I Knows in the first place. I genuinely don't know why they chose to cover a song they couldn't cohesively record but oh well, it is what it is.
VERDICT - Don't cover a song you can't fucking play/sing unless you're making it your own. Bill Withers takes the win.
ROUND NINE: Honey Bee
Tom Petty - I hadn't heard this song before writing this post either but I can see why UFO covered it. It's got a heavy riff (for Tom Petty) and a slow tempo. Musically, it sounds like a beefed up Rod Stewart song and desperately needed an extra section to prevent it from going stale about halfway through. Fortunately, it deviates from typical Tom Petty tracks by containing an actual outro instead of fading out during the guitar solo so I suppose it's at least got one thing going for it.
UFO - Yup, definitely a suitable choice for the band to cover. Vocally undemanding and perfect for synchronised guitar/bass riffing. Rather than end on a lengthy solo, UFO cut it out, resulting in a shorter track that doesn't really grate on you. It's a solid cover from the band that basically fucked up everything else although that's what happens when they cover a basic song.
VERDICT - A shorter length made this song at least partly tolerable so UFO get a long awaited win. They're gonna have to go some to win this overall but maybe they've saved the best until last...maybe.
ROUND TEN: Too Rolling Stoned
Robin Trower - I feel like I've heard a bunch of songs with "rolling stoned" in the title that are all different so I'm not sure if this is a new one for me. It's a passable but uninteresting Rock song until things slow down a bit and transition into full blown Blues territory; then it turns to shit. This seven and a half minute song is boring as shit unless you're into your Bluesy guitar soloing with some dull cheering in the background to give it the impression of being a live recording. I'm actually struggling to remember anything before the Blues section so fuck this song.
UFO - Thankfully, UFO didn't outright skip the Rock part of this song like I felt they might (although they still went Bluesy at the halfway point). It's got an air of Deep Purple and Whitesnake about it in the first half with some great soloing and suitably aged vocals. The second half passes a bit quicker than the original Blues breakdown (or at least feels like it does) so admirers of Blues soloing that can't be arsed to sit through Blues soloing are better off with this track.
VERDICT - Once again, UFO did a solid cover and removed the shitty elements. I'm not saying they made this song great but UFO get a win for not making a bad song worse. Oh, and they actually had an outro instead of fading out. Nice one, lads.
ROUND ELEVEN: Just Got Paid
ZZ Top - An early one from ZZ Top before they got synth involved. A Bluesy Southern track that probably would've been better without muting the riff. At least the mix isn't flat dogshit like most early ZZ Top tracks but it's still a very plain track. Once you've got past the riff, the rest of the song is pretty much just filler with a hollow solo and outro that would be copied and improved in "Hard To Handle" - The Black Crowes, an example of an awesome cover, something I've given up hope of finding on this album.
UFO - Damn, maybe I was right about saving the best tracks until the end. The guitar riff has been improved and those drums are just what the doctor fucking ordered. Phil Mogg still struggles to keep up with the rest of the band but his voice fits like a glove. Since it's a ZZ Top song, we don't get much in the way of vocals so the guitarist is free to play away. The band also went ahead and cut this song short too; I can't say this with certainty but I'm guessing it's because they only had short periods of time to record songs in between visiting Phil Mogg at the nursing home.
VERDICT - UFO have found their groove again! The song simply sounds more like a Rock song when they play it (although it's still average by conventional standards).
ROUND TWELVE: It's My Life
The Animals - Last song on the list, although not to be confused for the Bon Jovi track! Not the strongest song by The Animals but hey, it's got a lot of bass/guitar and the vocals are simple. There isn't much to say about it other than it feels a lot longer than 3:09 when you listen to it. I'm not saying a guitar or organ solo could've improved it but I understand why songs with guitar/organ solos by this band are better known.
UFO - Fucking hell, they had to slow this down for Phil and he still sounds like a lost old coffin dodger. The fact that a pensioner is singing "It's my life, I'll do what I want" is a little distracting and maybe this is just me but even the musicians sound bored at this point. It would've been good to hear at least one song that the band did something interesting with but nope, it's all just paint by numbers. This is Rock music for boring tossers (see Rip It Up - Thunder).
VERDICT - Tough call but I'm handing the last win to The Animals. Their song doesn't sound like a musical parody designed to show us that old people are still relevant and UFO have been given enough sympathy wins.
FINAL SCORES:
UFO - 6
Originals - 6
Wow. OK, I didn't expect that. I mean, I knew UFO wouldn't win but I'm actually surprised to see they tied with the originals after the shit they put onto that album, although maybe that's just because they picked a dull bunch of songs. To their credit, they did arrange them as best as they could on the tracklist but Mogg's limited vocals resulted in poor choices. I rate The Salentino Cuts 2/10 and wouldn't recommend it to anyone that still has a pulse.
As I said earlier, here's the Spotify playlist for you to listen to (I hesitate to say 'enjoy') as you read my verdicts.
Saturday, 2 September 2017
Showdown: Under Cover - Motorhead
Despite Motorhead's frontman and eternal badass of Metal Lemmy being deceased, Motorhead are still releasing new studio material...well, half new anyway. Today's blog post is taking a look at the new Motorhead covers album entitled Under Cover (minus an umlaud over the o in typical Motorhead fashion) and whether or not Motorhead's heavier versions of iconic Rock tracks are as good if not better than the originals similar to previous Showdown posts with Whitesnake and Halestorm covers albums.
Since the covers on this album weren't deliberately recorded with the intention of making a covers album, I won't be giving individual verdicts influenced by whether these are the best songs by the respective bands Motorhead could've covered. They're covers that the band performed at some point in their career and each track has been assembled into a single compilation aside from one new track recorded before Lemmy's passing.
Right then, let's look at Motorhead's new album for what may be the last time, although I hope they release a compilation of their previously unreleased 2008 rerecordings at some point.
EDIT: Forgot to add this Spotify playlist containing each track (original and cover). Feel free to listen to them as you read my write-ups!
ROUND ONE: Breaking The Law
Judas Priest - Arguably the band's most famous song due partly to their music video, this song kicks things off with an instantly recognisable riff and a heavy driving bassline. It's a great little tune that's been improved over the years by speeding up the tempo and adding a sweet solo but as far as the original studio recording goes, this will always be one of Judas Priest's staples. It's just a shame Rob Halford always phones it in when playing it live by getting the audience to sing most, if not all, of it.
Motorhead - The tempo sounds a little bit faster and the guitar much heavier but goddamn, Lemmy's voice is fucking perfect for this track. Rob Halford may have the falsetto nailed down but the gravelly vocals this song requires is where Lemmy excels. It's a pretty faithful cover with no added frills until the little guitar melodies in the outro.
VERDICT - Definitely a strong track to open the covers album on and definitely a win for Motorhead. Whilst the Judas Priest original will always be THE version of this song, Motorhead did a damn fine job of recreating and (in my opinion) surpassing it.
ROUND TWO: God Save The Queen
Sex Pistols - I can't fucking stand these chancers. They slagged off bands like The Who and Queen and ended up releasing one album full of mediocre Punk anthems. However, of all the tracks I've heard of theirs, this is probably one of the better tracks. Solid guitar riffs and it even has a solo. It might be a dogshit solo but that's still impressive for Punk. The only thing that lets it down aside from the non-vocals is the "NOOOOO FU-TURE" section that sounds like a particularly uninspired football chant.
Motorhead - I'm not sure why Lemmy tried to do Punk vocals here as his deep guttural singing could've partially saved this track. Once again, it's a relatively faithful cover that sounds more like a tribute to this band than Motorhead's attempt to make the song their own, although I can fully understand why Lemmy gave up even pretending to sing with passion during the "NOOOO FU-TURE" part.
VERDICT - For all the shit I've said about this song and the Sex Pistols, I'm giving the win to the Sex Pistols because their original version sounds like a better Punk track than the Motorhead cover does a Punk or Metal one. Lemmy's voice didn't make the song enjoyable and the rest of the band sounded like they didn't really give much of a shit. It was too coordinated and paint-by-numbers to truly encapsulate the Punk spirit so I'm not sure why they even bothered.
ROUND THREE: Heroes
David Bowie - I love this song, it's easily my favourite Bowie track. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what I love about it as everything just comes together into an immaculate single entity but if I had to analyse the track, I think the subdued guitar is one of the strongest aspects. It's still there playing great riffs and haunting melodies but it's quite far back in the mix compared to Bowie's vocals which take centre stage. The combination of his vocal-line and the guitar creates a multi-layered tune that I never get tired of hearing from start to finish.
Motorhead - Recorded in 2015 during the Bad Magic sessions, this is the only cover that hasn't been previously released...unless you count the band releasing it as a single to promote this album. I wish I could say that they did it justice but honestly, I think it's shit. The drums are a little too fast for me and Lemmy's vocals don't really get interesting until about halfway through when his backing vocals come in; however, both of these would be forgivable if not for the guitar. It sounds like a fucking air-raid siren and the solo sounds too active for a song like this. It should be soft and subdued instead of obvious, resulting in a bland piece of music overall.
VERDICT - David Bowie was probably always going to win this one but I'm disappointed in Motorhead's attempt at it. They proved they weren't just about being loud and heavy with "Whorehouse Blues" in 2004 (not to mention the Bluesy rerecording of "Ace Of Spades" in 2010) but it's a shame they couldn't turn the volume down from 11 here.
ROUND FOUR: Starstruck
Rainbow - Not one of Rainbow's best unless you're into your Blues Rock but it's a solid song. Dio's vocals are vintage Dio and Blackmore's guitar carries the entire track with catchy riffs throughout although the solo isn't particularly memorable for a song with him onboard. If I didn't know this was one of their big songs, I'd assume it was a filler track.
Motorhead - So technically, this isn't a true Motorhead cover. This is Motorhead playing the music whilst Biff Byford from Saxon sings the vocals (although Lemmy wails along in the chorus). It sounds more like a Saxon cover than Motorhead due to the cleaner guitar and more restrained bass but overall, I dig it. If anything, I kinda wish Lemmy had less involvement as the chorus is the weakest part.
VERDICT - Yeah, I'm giving this to Motorhead ft. Biff Byford. The Rainbow original sounds a bit flat compared to this cover, although I'm not really sure why this track made the cut. If cover songs with guest musicians were eligible, they should've included Lemmy's cover of "The Trooper". THAT's a fucking great cover.
ROUND FIVE: Cat Scratch Fever
Ted Nugent - Uncle Ted might be a thundering bellend but when he was in the studio, he knew how to lay down a fucking sweet riff for a pure Rock song. Unfortunately, this is not one of those times and instead, we get this tired pile of shite. If music could sound bored, it would sound like the riff for "Cat Scratch Fever". Even the solo's generic, although Ted was never great at iconic solos. Just badass riffs...which this song doesn't have.
Motorhead - The riff's a bit better with more weight to it and Lemmy's growling vocals compliment the music much better than Ted's. The solo's also beefed up a bit too, making it more enjoyable to listen to as the minor bursts of shredding prevent you from falling asleep where you usually would in the original. I actually found myself nodding my head and tapping my foot towards the end, even though it's still the same song.
VERDICT - Motorhead got a little bit more creative with their recording of the song, even borrowing the outro from "Iron Fist" to make this cover sound more like one of their singles. Motorhead's cover is superior in every way so Motorhead get the win. It's a shame this is one of Ted Nugent's better known tracks although I can't say I'll lose much sleep over anything unfortunate happening to that tool.
ROUND SIX: Jumpin' Jack Flash
The Rolling Stones - Probably my favourite Rolling Stones song (Motorhead sure knew how to pick 'em, huh). I've always felt like post 1960s Rolling Stones are the ideal entry level Rock band for someone who has no idea what good Rock music sounds like but their 60s material can be pretty great, particularly if they've built the song around a great riff like this. Jagger's vocals are at their best and the song doesn't go on too long. In fact, to say it doesn't have a solo or anything fancy to pad it out, it's quite a tight package of Rock.
Motorhead - This sounds like a version of the song used in a film like Wayne's World when they wanted a more modern version of a famous track that wasn't expensive to license. Lemmy's vocals work pretty well and the heavier instruments make it sound a little rougher edged, a quality that The Rolling Stones should've kept throughout their career. However, the best part of this track is the actual outro rather than fading out. It would've been cool to hear the original with a proper ending.
VERDICT - Both tracks have their strengths but I'm giving the win to The Rolling Stones simply because I prefer the sound of their guitar tone to Motorhead's, although I do like their cover.
ROUND SEVEN: Sympathy For The Devil
The Rolling Stones - OK, I guess we've got another Stones track. It's not one I'm a huge fan of but there are several aspects I quite like. For starters, the bass is great and the lyrics stand out as some of the best by The Rolling Stones. I also like the progression of the track and how the mix changes with each verse, although part of me wonders what it'd be like if there was just a bit more guitar. It doesn't have to be an Earth-shattering riff but maybe some rhythm guitar after the second chorus could've made it that little bit better, especially since the guitar solos kind of suck.
Motorhead - Straight away, we've got the Cozy Powell "Dance With The Devil" drumbeat and once Lemmy starts singing (yes, he actually sings) the song becomes awesome. The bass sounds amazing and gives the song a whole new energy, the guitar solos aren't as sporadic and choppy, the enhanced percussion during the solos packs an excellent wallop and the genre of the song is definitively Rock. I fucking love this cover.
VERDICT - Similar to the last track, both songs are great in their own right but you all know I'm awarding it to Motorhead. I don't even know if I can listen to the original in the same way again now that I know this cover exists, that's how good it is.
ROUND EIGHT: Hellraiser
Ozzy Osbourne - Hats off to Ozzy for creating a badass Metal track without Randy or Jake E. Lee that isn't just a recreation of "Crazy Train". Ozzy's vocals don't sound as ridiculous as they usually do and the vocal effects make the song sound more epic, not to mention the great guitar riffs peppered throughout the track. I'm not entirely sure why they were going for a futuristic sound with all the synth and vocoder/guitar effects when the track's called "Hellraiser" but I can't say I dislike them.
Motorhead - This is the only track on the list where I heard the Motorhead version before the original. I'm aware that Ozzy and Lemmy wrote it together but since Ozzy released it first, I think it's fair to call this a cover (especially if Motorhead consider it one as well). It definitely sounds less polished than the Ozzy version although at least Lemmy's thick bass is awesome; plus, the stripped back sound makes it sound more like a proper Heavy Metal tune.
VERDICT - Tricky. Motorhead's version has a much better guitar solo but on a track where Ozzy really gave it his all in the vocal department, Lemmy's pipes just don't give me the same chills as the original. Ozzy Osbourne takes a well earned win.
ROUND NINE: Rockaway Beach
Ramones - Of all the Punk bands in existence, I probably have the most forgiveness for the Ramones due to them sounding like a Rock band with Punk edges rather than the other way round. I've talked about this song in a previous Showdown post so if you've read that, you'll know that I like the break between chorus and verse although wish the band were talented enough to have extended it with a solo. Still, it's a punchy little Pop-Punk tune.
Motorhead - It's no secret that Lemmy was a huge fan of the Ramones; he even recorded a track with Motorhead entitled "R.A.M.O.N.E.S" as a tribute. As far as this cover's concerned, Motorhead do a bang up job. Lemmy might sound a little bored but his vocal delivery actually works pretty damn well here. Other than that, it's a short song and Motorhead followed each note pretty faithfully.
VERDICT - To me, both songs are as good as each other, even for their genres. I'm giving the win to Ramones for being the ones to create the song and for inspiring Motorhead to write amazing tracks of their own.
ROUND TEN: Shoot 'Em Down
Twisted Sister - Not one of Twisted Sister's better known hits and, as far as 4/4/ Hard Rock tracks go, it's even more basic than your average AC/DC song. Fortunately, it has a fairly decent solo that sounds like fun to play although it's a shame the rest of the track is dull as dishwater. However, I imagine Motorhead took interest in it due to the Punk nature of it; simplistic guitar riff, obscenities in the lyrics, aggressive sound. Probably the best Twisted Sister track for Motorhead to cover.
Motorhead - Congrats Motorhead, you improved pretty much every aspect of this song. The solo might not sound quite as good (although it's still decent) but everything else has been tightened up to a suitable degree. Tempo's a bit quicker, drums are a bit louder, Lemmy's vocals are back to their usual gritty texture and even if it doesn't sound quite like a typical Motorhead song, the band took the source material and amplified it.
VERDICT - Motorhead deserve the win for obvious reasons. They've transformed a mediocre Hard Rock track into a decent Heavy Metal one without needing to completely rewrite.
ROUND ELEVEN: Whiplash
Metallica - A fan favourite from Metallica's debut, presumably thanks to a mix of rose-tinted glasses and comparing it with their more recent attempts at Metal. Sure, it has rapid guitar throughout and the drums maintain their fury from start to finish but other than that, it's a pretty bog standard affair. There are some decent riffs but overall it sounds like a much tamer version of "Hit The Lights", right down to the solo.
Motorhead - Metallica have covered a bunch of Motorhead tracks in their career so it's interesting to hear the tables turned, especially with Lemmy's thick bass taking centre stage. The bassline sounds more like a Motorhead track and even if Lemmy's vocals can't quite keep up with the track's speed, they still sound right for the song. Unfortunately, the guitar riff before the solo has been butchered but thankfully, the rest of the song is pure Metal. Also, I like how they changed the lyrics to reflect "we are Motorhead" instead of "we are Metallica"; definitely a great pick to end the album on.
VERDICT - If this was any other song off Kill 'Em All, Metallica almost certainly would've claimed the victory here. The original song's good but Motorhead took it and made it fucking great, earning them the final win.
FINAL SCORES:
Motorhead - 6
Originals - 5
A great collection of covers with a few duds but overall, it gets the thumbs up from me! I rate Under Cover a 6/10 for being a simple yet earnest collection of Motorhead material that casual listeners may not have heard, although I would've preferred a few different choices. Did you know Motorhead have covered "Tie Your Mother Down" - Queen? It's pretty fucking good. So's their cover of "Blue Suede Shoes" - Elvis Presley and "It's A Long Way To The Top" - AC/DC.
They should've been on the album instead of "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Jumpin' Jack Flash" but there's always the possibility that the band chose these covers because they knew they were Lemmy's favourites and they wanted this to be a collection he'd be proud of. If that is the case, I admire them for releasing this compilation out of love instead of a dwindling bank balance. Since Motorhead have a bunch of other decent covers, I wouldn't object to the band/record label releasing Under Cover 2 in the future even if it was their way of getting money for old rope.
Since the covers on this album weren't deliberately recorded with the intention of making a covers album, I won't be giving individual verdicts influenced by whether these are the best songs by the respective bands Motorhead could've covered. They're covers that the band performed at some point in their career and each track has been assembled into a single compilation aside from one new track recorded before Lemmy's passing.
Right then, let's look at Motorhead's new album for what may be the last time, although I hope they release a compilation of their previously unreleased 2008 rerecordings at some point.
EDIT: Forgot to add this Spotify playlist containing each track (original and cover). Feel free to listen to them as you read my write-ups!
ROUND ONE: Breaking The Law
Judas Priest - Arguably the band's most famous song due partly to their music video, this song kicks things off with an instantly recognisable riff and a heavy driving bassline. It's a great little tune that's been improved over the years by speeding up the tempo and adding a sweet solo but as far as the original studio recording goes, this will always be one of Judas Priest's staples. It's just a shame Rob Halford always phones it in when playing it live by getting the audience to sing most, if not all, of it.
Motorhead - The tempo sounds a little bit faster and the guitar much heavier but goddamn, Lemmy's voice is fucking perfect for this track. Rob Halford may have the falsetto nailed down but the gravelly vocals this song requires is where Lemmy excels. It's a pretty faithful cover with no added frills until the little guitar melodies in the outro.
VERDICT - Definitely a strong track to open the covers album on and definitely a win for Motorhead. Whilst the Judas Priest original will always be THE version of this song, Motorhead did a damn fine job of recreating and (in my opinion) surpassing it.
ROUND TWO: God Save The Queen
Sex Pistols - I can't fucking stand these chancers. They slagged off bands like The Who and Queen and ended up releasing one album full of mediocre Punk anthems. However, of all the tracks I've heard of theirs, this is probably one of the better tracks. Solid guitar riffs and it even has a solo. It might be a dogshit solo but that's still impressive for Punk. The only thing that lets it down aside from the non-vocals is the "NOOOOO FU-TURE" section that sounds like a particularly uninspired football chant.
Motorhead - I'm not sure why Lemmy tried to do Punk vocals here as his deep guttural singing could've partially saved this track. Once again, it's a relatively faithful cover that sounds more like a tribute to this band than Motorhead's attempt to make the song their own, although I can fully understand why Lemmy gave up even pretending to sing with passion during the "NOOOO FU-TURE" part.
VERDICT - For all the shit I've said about this song and the Sex Pistols, I'm giving the win to the Sex Pistols because their original version sounds like a better Punk track than the Motorhead cover does a Punk or Metal one. Lemmy's voice didn't make the song enjoyable and the rest of the band sounded like they didn't really give much of a shit. It was too coordinated and paint-by-numbers to truly encapsulate the Punk spirit so I'm not sure why they even bothered.
ROUND THREE: Heroes
David Bowie - I love this song, it's easily my favourite Bowie track. It's hard to pinpoint exactly what I love about it as everything just comes together into an immaculate single entity but if I had to analyse the track, I think the subdued guitar is one of the strongest aspects. It's still there playing great riffs and haunting melodies but it's quite far back in the mix compared to Bowie's vocals which take centre stage. The combination of his vocal-line and the guitar creates a multi-layered tune that I never get tired of hearing from start to finish.
Motorhead - Recorded in 2015 during the Bad Magic sessions, this is the only cover that hasn't been previously released...unless you count the band releasing it as a single to promote this album. I wish I could say that they did it justice but honestly, I think it's shit. The drums are a little too fast for me and Lemmy's vocals don't really get interesting until about halfway through when his backing vocals come in; however, both of these would be forgivable if not for the guitar. It sounds like a fucking air-raid siren and the solo sounds too active for a song like this. It should be soft and subdued instead of obvious, resulting in a bland piece of music overall.
VERDICT - David Bowie was probably always going to win this one but I'm disappointed in Motorhead's attempt at it. They proved they weren't just about being loud and heavy with "Whorehouse Blues" in 2004 (not to mention the Bluesy rerecording of "Ace Of Spades" in 2010) but it's a shame they couldn't turn the volume down from 11 here.
ROUND FOUR: Starstruck
Rainbow - Not one of Rainbow's best unless you're into your Blues Rock but it's a solid song. Dio's vocals are vintage Dio and Blackmore's guitar carries the entire track with catchy riffs throughout although the solo isn't particularly memorable for a song with him onboard. If I didn't know this was one of their big songs, I'd assume it was a filler track.
Motorhead - So technically, this isn't a true Motorhead cover. This is Motorhead playing the music whilst Biff Byford from Saxon sings the vocals (although Lemmy wails along in the chorus). It sounds more like a Saxon cover than Motorhead due to the cleaner guitar and more restrained bass but overall, I dig it. If anything, I kinda wish Lemmy had less involvement as the chorus is the weakest part.
VERDICT - Yeah, I'm giving this to Motorhead ft. Biff Byford. The Rainbow original sounds a bit flat compared to this cover, although I'm not really sure why this track made the cut. If cover songs with guest musicians were eligible, they should've included Lemmy's cover of "The Trooper". THAT's a fucking great cover.
ROUND FIVE: Cat Scratch Fever
Ted Nugent - Uncle Ted might be a thundering bellend but when he was in the studio, he knew how to lay down a fucking sweet riff for a pure Rock song. Unfortunately, this is not one of those times and instead, we get this tired pile of shite. If music could sound bored, it would sound like the riff for "Cat Scratch Fever". Even the solo's generic, although Ted was never great at iconic solos. Just badass riffs...which this song doesn't have.
Motorhead - The riff's a bit better with more weight to it and Lemmy's growling vocals compliment the music much better than Ted's. The solo's also beefed up a bit too, making it more enjoyable to listen to as the minor bursts of shredding prevent you from falling asleep where you usually would in the original. I actually found myself nodding my head and tapping my foot towards the end, even though it's still the same song.
VERDICT - Motorhead got a little bit more creative with their recording of the song, even borrowing the outro from "Iron Fist" to make this cover sound more like one of their singles. Motorhead's cover is superior in every way so Motorhead get the win. It's a shame this is one of Ted Nugent's better known tracks although I can't say I'll lose much sleep over anything unfortunate happening to that tool.
ROUND SIX: Jumpin' Jack Flash
The Rolling Stones - Probably my favourite Rolling Stones song (Motorhead sure knew how to pick 'em, huh). I've always felt like post 1960s Rolling Stones are the ideal entry level Rock band for someone who has no idea what good Rock music sounds like but their 60s material can be pretty great, particularly if they've built the song around a great riff like this. Jagger's vocals are at their best and the song doesn't go on too long. In fact, to say it doesn't have a solo or anything fancy to pad it out, it's quite a tight package of Rock.
Motorhead - This sounds like a version of the song used in a film like Wayne's World when they wanted a more modern version of a famous track that wasn't expensive to license. Lemmy's vocals work pretty well and the heavier instruments make it sound a little rougher edged, a quality that The Rolling Stones should've kept throughout their career. However, the best part of this track is the actual outro rather than fading out. It would've been cool to hear the original with a proper ending.
VERDICT - Both tracks have their strengths but I'm giving the win to The Rolling Stones simply because I prefer the sound of their guitar tone to Motorhead's, although I do like their cover.
ROUND SEVEN: Sympathy For The Devil
The Rolling Stones - OK, I guess we've got another Stones track. It's not one I'm a huge fan of but there are several aspects I quite like. For starters, the bass is great and the lyrics stand out as some of the best by The Rolling Stones. I also like the progression of the track and how the mix changes with each verse, although part of me wonders what it'd be like if there was just a bit more guitar. It doesn't have to be an Earth-shattering riff but maybe some rhythm guitar after the second chorus could've made it that little bit better, especially since the guitar solos kind of suck.
Motorhead - Straight away, we've got the Cozy Powell "Dance With The Devil" drumbeat and once Lemmy starts singing (yes, he actually sings) the song becomes awesome. The bass sounds amazing and gives the song a whole new energy, the guitar solos aren't as sporadic and choppy, the enhanced percussion during the solos packs an excellent wallop and the genre of the song is definitively Rock. I fucking love this cover.
VERDICT - Similar to the last track, both songs are great in their own right but you all know I'm awarding it to Motorhead. I don't even know if I can listen to the original in the same way again now that I know this cover exists, that's how good it is.
ROUND EIGHT: Hellraiser
Ozzy Osbourne - Hats off to Ozzy for creating a badass Metal track without Randy or Jake E. Lee that isn't just a recreation of "Crazy Train". Ozzy's vocals don't sound as ridiculous as they usually do and the vocal effects make the song sound more epic, not to mention the great guitar riffs peppered throughout the track. I'm not entirely sure why they were going for a futuristic sound with all the synth and vocoder/guitar effects when the track's called "Hellraiser" but I can't say I dislike them.
Motorhead - This is the only track on the list where I heard the Motorhead version before the original. I'm aware that Ozzy and Lemmy wrote it together but since Ozzy released it first, I think it's fair to call this a cover (especially if Motorhead consider it one as well). It definitely sounds less polished than the Ozzy version although at least Lemmy's thick bass is awesome; plus, the stripped back sound makes it sound more like a proper Heavy Metal tune.
VERDICT - Tricky. Motorhead's version has a much better guitar solo but on a track where Ozzy really gave it his all in the vocal department, Lemmy's pipes just don't give me the same chills as the original. Ozzy Osbourne takes a well earned win.
ROUND NINE: Rockaway Beach
Ramones - Of all the Punk bands in existence, I probably have the most forgiveness for the Ramones due to them sounding like a Rock band with Punk edges rather than the other way round. I've talked about this song in a previous Showdown post so if you've read that, you'll know that I like the break between chorus and verse although wish the band were talented enough to have extended it with a solo. Still, it's a punchy little Pop-Punk tune.
Motorhead - It's no secret that Lemmy was a huge fan of the Ramones; he even recorded a track with Motorhead entitled "R.A.M.O.N.E.S" as a tribute. As far as this cover's concerned, Motorhead do a bang up job. Lemmy might sound a little bored but his vocal delivery actually works pretty damn well here. Other than that, it's a short song and Motorhead followed each note pretty faithfully.
VERDICT - To me, both songs are as good as each other, even for their genres. I'm giving the win to Ramones for being the ones to create the song and for inspiring Motorhead to write amazing tracks of their own.
ROUND TEN: Shoot 'Em Down
Twisted Sister - Not one of Twisted Sister's better known hits and, as far as 4/4/ Hard Rock tracks go, it's even more basic than your average AC/DC song. Fortunately, it has a fairly decent solo that sounds like fun to play although it's a shame the rest of the track is dull as dishwater. However, I imagine Motorhead took interest in it due to the Punk nature of it; simplistic guitar riff, obscenities in the lyrics, aggressive sound. Probably the best Twisted Sister track for Motorhead to cover.
Motorhead - Congrats Motorhead, you improved pretty much every aspect of this song. The solo might not sound quite as good (although it's still decent) but everything else has been tightened up to a suitable degree. Tempo's a bit quicker, drums are a bit louder, Lemmy's vocals are back to their usual gritty texture and even if it doesn't sound quite like a typical Motorhead song, the band took the source material and amplified it.
VERDICT - Motorhead deserve the win for obvious reasons. They've transformed a mediocre Hard Rock track into a decent Heavy Metal one without needing to completely rewrite.
ROUND ELEVEN: Whiplash
Metallica - A fan favourite from Metallica's debut, presumably thanks to a mix of rose-tinted glasses and comparing it with their more recent attempts at Metal. Sure, it has rapid guitar throughout and the drums maintain their fury from start to finish but other than that, it's a pretty bog standard affair. There are some decent riffs but overall it sounds like a much tamer version of "Hit The Lights", right down to the solo.
Motorhead - Metallica have covered a bunch of Motorhead tracks in their career so it's interesting to hear the tables turned, especially with Lemmy's thick bass taking centre stage. The bassline sounds more like a Motorhead track and even if Lemmy's vocals can't quite keep up with the track's speed, they still sound right for the song. Unfortunately, the guitar riff before the solo has been butchered but thankfully, the rest of the song is pure Metal. Also, I like how they changed the lyrics to reflect "we are Motorhead" instead of "we are Metallica"; definitely a great pick to end the album on.
VERDICT - If this was any other song off Kill 'Em All, Metallica almost certainly would've claimed the victory here. The original song's good but Motorhead took it and made it fucking great, earning them the final win.
FINAL SCORES:
Motorhead - 6
Originals - 5
A great collection of covers with a few duds but overall, it gets the thumbs up from me! I rate Under Cover a 6/10 for being a simple yet earnest collection of Motorhead material that casual listeners may not have heard, although I would've preferred a few different choices. Did you know Motorhead have covered "Tie Your Mother Down" - Queen? It's pretty fucking good. So's their cover of "Blue Suede Shoes" - Elvis Presley and "It's A Long Way To The Top" - AC/DC.
They should've been on the album instead of "Cat Scratch Fever" and "Jumpin' Jack Flash" but there's always the possibility that the band chose these covers because they knew they were Lemmy's favourites and they wanted this to be a collection he'd be proud of. If that is the case, I admire them for releasing this compilation out of love instead of a dwindling bank balance. Since Motorhead have a bunch of other decent covers, I wouldn't object to the band/record label releasing Under Cover 2 in the future even if it was their way of getting money for old rope.
Saturday, 4 June 2016
Heavy Rock Radio - Jorn
I've been waiting for this album to come out ever since I discussed the lead single on this blog last month. Now that I've listened to it...well, let's let the review do the talking.
Depending on the artist and choice of songs, covers albums can be an absolute godsend. One of the reasons I was looking forward to this particular album is the eclectic mix of hits ranging from Classic Rock to 80's Pop rearranged and covered as Heavy Metal tracks, not just because of my fondness for those genres but because I like listening to a good tune in different variations...but yes, this more than other covers albums because I like Jorn's style of Metal. However, the end result of Jorn's labours is sadly nothing spectacular and possibly the biggest disappointment I've ever had to review on this blog.
I should start off with the positives, mainly being the album opener and closer ("I Know There's Something Going On" and "Die Young") for slightly different reasons. I loved the Frida cover because Jorn's rendition takes a Pop song and turns it into something that sounds like an Ozzy Osbourne track but with better vocals. The transition works incredibly well and I would call it a "necessary" cover, as far as cover versions go. "Die Young" earns its place here not just for being a solid cover of the Black Sabbath original but for doing something a little different with the source material.
If you've heard the original track, you'll know it fades out during a solo. Here, Jorn extends it and adds a proper outro that the song rightfully deserves. It can be very easy to tinker with a song's structure and cock everything up, just like all the artists who slow down "Summertime Blues" when they perform it for some fucking reason. However, the change here is small but significant enough to work. I'm guessing these two tracks were picked to bookend the album because Jorn or the studio executives knew they were awesome covers. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the rest of Heavy Rock Radio.
Whilst there are a few neat choices and interesting takes on lesser known tracks that you probably wouldn't expect to be on a Metal covers album ("You're The Voice" - John Farnham, "The Final Frontier" - Iron Maiden), none of them really hit home. They're all pretty damn faithful to the original tracks aside from a few little tweaks here, such as bizarre key changes and tarted up solos where appropriate (which puts him ahead of Zakk Wylde as a guitarist/songwriter, at the very least) and as a result it doesn't really feel like there's much point in listening to them.
The covers are OK, I suppose. I mean, there are a few duds here and there where some poor choices about the key the band played in and use of instruments in the wrong moments ruin everything ("Rainbow In The Dark" - Dio, "Hotel California" - The Eagles) but most of the covers are all pretty average, so there's that. However, I wanted something more ambitious. I wanted to hear tracks that aren't known for "rocking" being given the Metal treatment, like the excellent "Rasputin" cover by Turisas. If not that then heavier versions of softer tracks like the ubiquitous "The Sound Of Silence" cover by Disturbed that everyone's banging on about*.
I think the main problem with this is probably the thing that makes it most admirable; at the end of the day, it's a passion project. This wasn't meant to make Jorn a shitload of cash or give fans what they wanted, it's just a collection of songs Jorn likes that he wanted to cover...so he did. As I said, it's a commendable decision further proven by the lack of a Super-Deluxe-Bonus Disc edition that's becoming fucking commonplace in Rock and Metal now, so even if the music isn't to my quality standards I still have more respect for Jorn Lande than I do for, say, Dave Mustaine.
On the other hand, this passion project means the person to get the most out of this is Jorn himself. He would've chosen the tracks he wanted to cover but they're simply not the best songs he could've picked. Regrettably, this is an album that could've been fantastic if there was more emphasis on Pop than Hard Rock/Metal. Whilst I may not be a fan of the originals that were picked for this album, Jorn doesn't really do anything to improve or adapt them so the end result is just more of the same, albeit done a little better or worse depending on your personal opinions towards bands such as Queen or Journey. I can't believe I'm actually saying this but this album could've done with less Dio and more Kate Bush, or artists of those genres.
I'm giving it a 4/10 as the first and last tracks are good and the rest of the tracks are alright, but Jorn played it too safe for it to have any real impact. He should've taken a few more risks with the song choices and arrangements but instead, he refused to gamble and the result is still a loss. If you want to hear well known Rock songs faithfully recreated as mediocre Metal tracks, this album is perfect for you but I wouldn't recommend it unless you're a huge fan of any of these originals, salivating at the thought of MOAR "STORMBRINGER". Hopefully at the very least Jorn was happy with how this turned out, otherwise the whole endeavour would be completely pointless.
* I would've loved to hear Disturbed cover "Hello" - Adele in the same style. Disturbed or Chris Cornell.
Depending on the artist and choice of songs, covers albums can be an absolute godsend. One of the reasons I was looking forward to this particular album is the eclectic mix of hits ranging from Classic Rock to 80's Pop rearranged and covered as Heavy Metal tracks, not just because of my fondness for those genres but because I like listening to a good tune in different variations...but yes, this more than other covers albums because I like Jorn's style of Metal. However, the end result of Jorn's labours is sadly nothing spectacular and possibly the biggest disappointment I've ever had to review on this blog.
I should start off with the positives, mainly being the album opener and closer ("I Know There's Something Going On" and "Die Young") for slightly different reasons. I loved the Frida cover because Jorn's rendition takes a Pop song and turns it into something that sounds like an Ozzy Osbourne track but with better vocals. The transition works incredibly well and I would call it a "necessary" cover, as far as cover versions go. "Die Young" earns its place here not just for being a solid cover of the Black Sabbath original but for doing something a little different with the source material.
If you've heard the original track, you'll know it fades out during a solo. Here, Jorn extends it and adds a proper outro that the song rightfully deserves. It can be very easy to tinker with a song's structure and cock everything up, just like all the artists who slow down "Summertime Blues" when they perform it for some fucking reason. However, the change here is small but significant enough to work. I'm guessing these two tracks were picked to bookend the album because Jorn or the studio executives knew they were awesome covers. Unfortunately, I can't say the same for the rest of Heavy Rock Radio.
Whilst there are a few neat choices and interesting takes on lesser known tracks that you probably wouldn't expect to be on a Metal covers album ("You're The Voice" - John Farnham, "The Final Frontier" - Iron Maiden), none of them really hit home. They're all pretty damn faithful to the original tracks aside from a few little tweaks here, such as bizarre key changes and tarted up solos where appropriate (which puts him ahead of Zakk Wylde as a guitarist/songwriter, at the very least) and as a result it doesn't really feel like there's much point in listening to them.
The covers are OK, I suppose. I mean, there are a few duds here and there where some poor choices about the key the band played in and use of instruments in the wrong moments ruin everything ("Rainbow In The Dark" - Dio, "Hotel California" - The Eagles) but most of the covers are all pretty average, so there's that. However, I wanted something more ambitious. I wanted to hear tracks that aren't known for "rocking" being given the Metal treatment, like the excellent "Rasputin" cover by Turisas. If not that then heavier versions of softer tracks like the ubiquitous "The Sound Of Silence" cover by Disturbed that everyone's banging on about*.
I think the main problem with this is probably the thing that makes it most admirable; at the end of the day, it's a passion project. This wasn't meant to make Jorn a shitload of cash or give fans what they wanted, it's just a collection of songs Jorn likes that he wanted to cover...so he did. As I said, it's a commendable decision further proven by the lack of a Super-Deluxe-Bonus Disc edition that's becoming fucking commonplace in Rock and Metal now, so even if the music isn't to my quality standards I still have more respect for Jorn Lande than I do for, say, Dave Mustaine.
On the other hand, this passion project means the person to get the most out of this is Jorn himself. He would've chosen the tracks he wanted to cover but they're simply not the best songs he could've picked. Regrettably, this is an album that could've been fantastic if there was more emphasis on Pop than Hard Rock/Metal. Whilst I may not be a fan of the originals that were picked for this album, Jorn doesn't really do anything to improve or adapt them so the end result is just more of the same, albeit done a little better or worse depending on your personal opinions towards bands such as Queen or Journey. I can't believe I'm actually saying this but this album could've done with less Dio and more Kate Bush, or artists of those genres.
I'm giving it a 4/10 as the first and last tracks are good and the rest of the tracks are alright, but Jorn played it too safe for it to have any real impact. He should've taken a few more risks with the song choices and arrangements but instead, he refused to gamble and the result is still a loss. If you want to hear well known Rock songs faithfully recreated as mediocre Metal tracks, this album is perfect for you but I wouldn't recommend it unless you're a huge fan of any of these originals, salivating at the thought of MOAR "STORMBRINGER". Hopefully at the very least Jorn was happy with how this turned out, otherwise the whole endeavour would be completely pointless.
* I would've loved to hear Disturbed cover "Hello" - Adele in the same style. Disturbed or Chris Cornell.
Saturday, 16 April 2016
Showdown: Cover Versions, part 4
Back again with another video game post!
If you recall the last time I did a Showdown post about Cover Versions, it was all about WaveGroup Sound covers from the Guitar Hero & Rock Band games. I chose ten songs from different games in the franchises that were covered by WaveGroup Sound and decided whether the original track or faithful cover was superior before coming to the conclusion that on average WaveGroup Sound's covers were just as good as the originals...or are they?
Time for another round of Originals Vs. Covers!
ROUND ONE: Godzilla
Blue Oyster Cult - As far as Blue Oyster Cult riffs go, this one is probably a 6/10. Incredibly simplistic but memorable. However, the highlight of this song has to be the guitar solos and guitar licks throughout the track. Plenty for aspiring guitarists to sink their teeth into and there's also a nifty little bass solo in the middle too. I wouldn't call it the band's best track but it definitely belongs in GH.
WaveGroup Sound - Props to the guitarist for fucking nailing it on this recording! The main difference between this and the original has to be the bass solo, reduced and converted to guitar to avoid the long pause in the actual song. However, it doesn't feel out of place or forced if you're familiar with the original and it fits in perfectly if the song is new to you.
VERDICT - Right, let's think about this for a minute. On the one hand, I love Blue Oyster Cult and their original sounds a little less harsh on the ears than the cover. On the other, this is a damn good cover by WaveGroup Sound and whilst it may not improve on the original, it recreates it with care and detail. I think I'm giving the win to Blue Oyster Cult, but WaveGroup Sound deserve a shout-out for this cover in particular.
ROUND TWO: Killer Queen
Queen - I'm not a big fan of this song compared to other Queen hits. It's catchy, sure, but it's also kind of plain. It's a bit safe for a song with such a great title, plus Brian May's guitar isn't exactly exciting by any stretch. At least Freddie Mercury's vocals are as flawless as ever so this song would make a fun addition to karaoke evenings or vocal-based games, maybe not guitar ones.
WaveGroup Sound - Two things should become apparent when hearing this cover. First of all, the fuck's up with their Mock Freddie? They couldn't find anyone better than that guy? Secondly, there's a lot more guitar in this cover. Just as well really, it'd be a little embarrassing for the first game in the Guitar Hero series to have to rely on charting keys for guitar when there are so many proper Rock songs in existence. At least Mock Brian's guitar sort of sounds right during the solos.
VERDICT - Clearly the WaveGroup Sound version was more appropriate for GH due to the added guitar but I'm giving the win to Queen just for sounding better overall. Why they included the master recording of this track in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits over David Bowie or Red Hot Chili Peppers, I'm not sure.
ROUND THREE: Woman
Wolfmother - The most well known Wolfmother song with their...I'm going to say "classic" sound. A heavy gallop and a great riff. It's got some decent guitar in it although there comes a point halfway through where it kind of goes batshit with dissonant organ solos and such. A wacky but decent Hard Rock track that arrives and departs on a loud note, great for GH2.
WaveGroup Sound - Hmmmm...the vocalist is no Andrew Stockdale but the guitar and drums seem alright. I also like the added guitar solo over the organs in the middle section. It's a little wacky and out there like the rest of the song and works with the rest of the track, even if it's not as fun as the added "Ziggy Stardust" or "All The Young Dudes" solos.
VERDICT - My feelings for Wolfmother have been made loud and clear on the blog before but I'm giving this win to WaveGroup Sound. I know the vocalist doesn't stand out as much as Andrew Stockdale but I think I actually prefer him after listening a couple of times, although if you like Andrew's vocals then the original is for you.
ROUND FOUR: Metal Health (Bang Your Head)
Quiet Riot - As far as Hair Metal goes, this has to be one of the top tracks of the genre. It's an anthem for the Rock lifestyle right down to the epic riff and twin solos. It's a shame this band are arguably more well known for a shitty cover of a Slade song but at least they'll always have this track up their sleeves too.
WaveGroup Sound - I never understood why this song was chosen to be one of the first tracks on-disc when the cover version would need to be toned down. The first solo has been removed completely and the second is less intense than the one in the original outro. At least the band are suitable, even if the vocalist is a little too close to KISS for him to be truly spot on.
VERDICT - Definitely Quiet Riot for this one. The cover is like a radio edit that hasn't been bloody shortened. It's a shame Guitar Hero couldn't get the original version of this at some point but at least it's available as RB DLC.
ROUND FIVE: La Grange
ZZ Top - I love this song but I've always had one massive problem with it; it's not powerful enough. The drums are too soft and the guitars need to sound a lot heavier when the bass is introduced. At least the guitar solos are good and the boogie rhythm carries the song all the way to the end without getting boring like most Blues Rock tracks.
WaveGroup Sound - Now THIS cover gets it right! Not only in the heavier mix but the vocalist sounds better suited to the song as well. But wait, there's more! Since this was recorded specifically for Guitar Hero, you can bet your bottom dollar that the guitar solos are both faithful and fun. Final cherry on top? This cover actually ends as opposed to the original fading out. Perfect pick for GH3!
VERDICT - Again, I like ZZ Top (to some extent) but the win has been well earned by WaveGroup Sound. I'd love to hear them cover "Cheap Sunglasses", as that song suffers the same issues.
ROUND SIX: Story Of My Life
Social Distortion - I would love to take this song back in time to the 70's and play it to The Sex Pistols, telling them that this country-blend is what their pisspot of a joke genre becomes in less than 20 years. Anyway, enough Punk bashing. I do actually like this song a lot and the Rock ballad structure makes for a fun little tune that can be carried for over five minutes without making me want to blow my brains out.
WaveGroup Sound - This was my first experience with the song so I'll try not to let that bias cloud my judgement. The guitar melody sounds a lot clearer in this cover although some of you might find a few guitar riffs distracting. You know the ones that I mean, the ones that sound like overdrive guitar on a MIDI track.
VERDICT - Gun to head, I'm going to say WaveGroup Sound gets this one for the clearer mix and better build up throughout the song that you only really notice if you listen to the track outside of playing it on GH3.
ROUND SEVEN: I Know A Little
Lynyrd Skynyrd - You can't help but tap your foot to this one! It sounds like it's been plucked straight out of a 50's Diner but with a Southern Rock twist in the form of a slide guitar AND piano solo. It may not be as popular among the casual fans as "Simple Man" or "Sweet Home Alabama" but this song definitely deserves more recognition...then again, you could say that about a lot of pre-plane crash Skynyrd songs.
WaveGroup Sound - I have to say, the vocalist does a cracking job here. Sure the rest of the band get it right too but it's a lot harder to impersonate a vocalist (especially one like Ronnie Van Zant) than a bassist. It's an incredibly faithful cover, right down to the piano solo.
VERDICT - Last time, I gave Lynyrd Skynyrd the win for "Free Bird". This time, I think the win should go to WaveGroup Sound for a superb cover rounding off GH: On Tour. The only sadness is that this track never got a chance on console GH/RB titles, but there's still a thread of hope. A few years ago, I would've confidently told you that this song isn't available for GH/RB due to complications with Skynyrd master recordings but now that there are tracks from Street Survivors in Rock Band, I don't know what to believe.
ROUND EIGHT: Tom Sawyer
Rush - I fucking love everything about this song, from the multitude of awesome riffs/fills/solos played on each instrument to the badass lyrics that I wish I fully knew (there are times when I try as hard as I can to understand Geddy Lee but ultimately fail). I'm glad Rock Band got the original version of this track as DLC (Guitar Hero too, albeit over a year late) as you can't beat playing along to the one and only on plastic guitar, although I imagine the members of Rush would disagree since they couldn't even beat the song when they played it on RB years ago.
WaveGroup Sound - It's a noble attempt but let's not fool around here, this cover is a silver medal at best. It just sounds too clean without the little things like the echo or Geddy's screeching vocals (again, it's almost like the guy who does the KISS covers got the wrong memo). Granted there are many things the song gets right such as the space-age synth effects but you can't beat the original. Also, fuck off with that Big Rock Ending outro.
VERDICT - WaveGroup Sound win...of course not! Seriously, what did you expect? It's Rush all the way.
ROUND NINE: The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden - Gee, I wonder who'll win this one. No no, let's do this fairly. This is probably Iron Maiden's biggest song next to "Run To The Hills" but this is definitely the superior track of the two. Awesome riff, great bass to match the guitars, dynamite vocals and some superb drumming too. It's an all-round top notch track and I'm so fucking glad GH3 got the master recording of this, otherwise I probably wouldn't love this band as much as I do now.
WaveGroup Sound - Credit where due, this is a pretty sweet cover. The vocalist does a stellar job of matching Bruce Dickinson and dare I say screams better during the intro than Bruce has ever done live. The bassist has also done a good job of emulating Steve Harris although I'm not overly keen on the mix of this track. The drums sound a little too prominent, although that might just be the version I'm listening to.
VERDICT - It's actually quite a tough call (no, really) but I'm going with Iron Maiden. The WaveGroup Sound version sounds like the band members are flagging a little bit towards the end, especially in the vocal and guitar department. Whilst WaveGroup Sound may have had their work cut out for them topping Iron Maiden for this piece of Rock Band DLC, they certainly put up one hell of a fight.
ROUND TEN: Green Grass And High Tides
The Outlaws - Another Showdown, another Southern Rock epic! This ~10 minute boss of a song follows the same formula as "Free Bird", "Highway Song" and "Fall Of The Peacemakers" where the first half is relatively slow and relaxing and the second rips the knob off with furious guitar duelling solos. However, what separates this from those tracks is that unlike Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws have filled the relaxing half with cool soloing as well. It may be well over nine minutes long but it definitely has more packed into it than any other Southern Rock epic I can think of.
WaveGroup Sound - The grand finale of Rock Band and a strong cover too. The bass in this mix is a little stronger than the original (which sounds awesome during the faster parts) and the guitar solos are lovingly recreated almost to the exact detail. Each band member gives it their all and if they were playing Rock Band, they'd be looking at gold stars all round!
VERDICT - For what I believe to be the better mix and for completing the impossible task of recording a note perfect rendition of this 9:45 epic, which I imagine must've been so fucking stressful in the studio, WaveGroup Sound get the win here. Again, it's a shame neither GH or RB got the master recording of this great track but at least we got something as good as this cover.
...well, this is a little awkward.
WaveGroup Sound walk away with five wins yet again. I can assure you, this wasn't deliberately planned. However, it's pretty cool that on two separate occasions, I've come to the conclusion that WaveGroup Sound are as strong as the bands they're covering when it comes to rerecording in a studio.
As I said last time, there might be a possibility of me returning to a Showdown post with GH/RB covers but it won't be for a while. Either way, let me know if you agree/disagree with my opinions and if you have any WaveGroup Sound covers that you reckon deserve a shout out for being better than the originals.
If you recall the last time I did a Showdown post about Cover Versions, it was all about WaveGroup Sound covers from the Guitar Hero & Rock Band games. I chose ten songs from different games in the franchises that were covered by WaveGroup Sound and decided whether the original track or faithful cover was superior before coming to the conclusion that on average WaveGroup Sound's covers were just as good as the originals...or are they?
Time for another round of Originals Vs. Covers!
ROUND ONE: Godzilla
Blue Oyster Cult - As far as Blue Oyster Cult riffs go, this one is probably a 6/10. Incredibly simplistic but memorable. However, the highlight of this song has to be the guitar solos and guitar licks throughout the track. Plenty for aspiring guitarists to sink their teeth into and there's also a nifty little bass solo in the middle too. I wouldn't call it the band's best track but it definitely belongs in GH.
WaveGroup Sound - Props to the guitarist for fucking nailing it on this recording! The main difference between this and the original has to be the bass solo, reduced and converted to guitar to avoid the long pause in the actual song. However, it doesn't feel out of place or forced if you're familiar with the original and it fits in perfectly if the song is new to you.
VERDICT - Right, let's think about this for a minute. On the one hand, I love Blue Oyster Cult and their original sounds a little less harsh on the ears than the cover. On the other, this is a damn good cover by WaveGroup Sound and whilst it may not improve on the original, it recreates it with care and detail. I think I'm giving the win to Blue Oyster Cult, but WaveGroup Sound deserve a shout-out for this cover in particular.
ROUND TWO: Killer Queen
Queen - I'm not a big fan of this song compared to other Queen hits. It's catchy, sure, but it's also kind of plain. It's a bit safe for a song with such a great title, plus Brian May's guitar isn't exactly exciting by any stretch. At least Freddie Mercury's vocals are as flawless as ever so this song would make a fun addition to karaoke evenings or vocal-based games, maybe not guitar ones.
WaveGroup Sound - Two things should become apparent when hearing this cover. First of all, the fuck's up with their Mock Freddie? They couldn't find anyone better than that guy? Secondly, there's a lot more guitar in this cover. Just as well really, it'd be a little embarrassing for the first game in the Guitar Hero series to have to rely on charting keys for guitar when there are so many proper Rock songs in existence. At least Mock Brian's guitar sort of sounds right during the solos.
VERDICT - Clearly the WaveGroup Sound version was more appropriate for GH due to the added guitar but I'm giving the win to Queen just for sounding better overall. Why they included the master recording of this track in Guitar Hero: Smash Hits over David Bowie or Red Hot Chili Peppers, I'm not sure.
ROUND THREE: Woman
Wolfmother - The most well known Wolfmother song with their...I'm going to say "classic" sound. A heavy gallop and a great riff. It's got some decent guitar in it although there comes a point halfway through where it kind of goes batshit with dissonant organ solos and such. A wacky but decent Hard Rock track that arrives and departs on a loud note, great for GH2.
WaveGroup Sound - Hmmmm...the vocalist is no Andrew Stockdale but the guitar and drums seem alright. I also like the added guitar solo over the organs in the middle section. It's a little wacky and out there like the rest of the song and works with the rest of the track, even if it's not as fun as the added "Ziggy Stardust" or "All The Young Dudes" solos.
VERDICT - My feelings for Wolfmother have been made loud and clear on the blog before but I'm giving this win to WaveGroup Sound. I know the vocalist doesn't stand out as much as Andrew Stockdale but I think I actually prefer him after listening a couple of times, although if you like Andrew's vocals then the original is for you.
ROUND FOUR: Metal Health (Bang Your Head)
Quiet Riot - As far as Hair Metal goes, this has to be one of the top tracks of the genre. It's an anthem for the Rock lifestyle right down to the epic riff and twin solos. It's a shame this band are arguably more well known for a shitty cover of a Slade song but at least they'll always have this track up their sleeves too.
WaveGroup Sound - I never understood why this song was chosen to be one of the first tracks on-disc when the cover version would need to be toned down. The first solo has been removed completely and the second is less intense than the one in the original outro. At least the band are suitable, even if the vocalist is a little too close to KISS for him to be truly spot on.
VERDICT - Definitely Quiet Riot for this one. The cover is like a radio edit that hasn't been bloody shortened. It's a shame Guitar Hero couldn't get the original version of this at some point but at least it's available as RB DLC.
ROUND FIVE: La Grange
ZZ Top - I love this song but I've always had one massive problem with it; it's not powerful enough. The drums are too soft and the guitars need to sound a lot heavier when the bass is introduced. At least the guitar solos are good and the boogie rhythm carries the song all the way to the end without getting boring like most Blues Rock tracks.
WaveGroup Sound - Now THIS cover gets it right! Not only in the heavier mix but the vocalist sounds better suited to the song as well. But wait, there's more! Since this was recorded specifically for Guitar Hero, you can bet your bottom dollar that the guitar solos are both faithful and fun. Final cherry on top? This cover actually ends as opposed to the original fading out. Perfect pick for GH3!
VERDICT - Again, I like ZZ Top (to some extent) but the win has been well earned by WaveGroup Sound. I'd love to hear them cover "Cheap Sunglasses", as that song suffers the same issues.
ROUND SIX: Story Of My Life
Social Distortion - I would love to take this song back in time to the 70's and play it to The Sex Pistols, telling them that this country-blend is what their pisspot of a joke genre becomes in less than 20 years. Anyway, enough Punk bashing. I do actually like this song a lot and the Rock ballad structure makes for a fun little tune that can be carried for over five minutes without making me want to blow my brains out.
WaveGroup Sound - This was my first experience with the song so I'll try not to let that bias cloud my judgement. The guitar melody sounds a lot clearer in this cover although some of you might find a few guitar riffs distracting. You know the ones that I mean, the ones that sound like overdrive guitar on a MIDI track.
VERDICT - Gun to head, I'm going to say WaveGroup Sound gets this one for the clearer mix and better build up throughout the song that you only really notice if you listen to the track outside of playing it on GH3.
ROUND SEVEN: I Know A Little
Lynyrd Skynyrd - You can't help but tap your foot to this one! It sounds like it's been plucked straight out of a 50's Diner but with a Southern Rock twist in the form of a slide guitar AND piano solo. It may not be as popular among the casual fans as "Simple Man" or "Sweet Home Alabama" but this song definitely deserves more recognition...then again, you could say that about a lot of pre-plane crash Skynyrd songs.
WaveGroup Sound - I have to say, the vocalist does a cracking job here. Sure the rest of the band get it right too but it's a lot harder to impersonate a vocalist (especially one like Ronnie Van Zant) than a bassist. It's an incredibly faithful cover, right down to the piano solo.
VERDICT - Last time, I gave Lynyrd Skynyrd the win for "Free Bird". This time, I think the win should go to WaveGroup Sound for a superb cover rounding off GH: On Tour. The only sadness is that this track never got a chance on console GH/RB titles, but there's still a thread of hope. A few years ago, I would've confidently told you that this song isn't available for GH/RB due to complications with Skynyrd master recordings but now that there are tracks from Street Survivors in Rock Band, I don't know what to believe.
ROUND EIGHT: Tom Sawyer
Rush - I fucking love everything about this song, from the multitude of awesome riffs/fills/solos played on each instrument to the badass lyrics that I wish I fully knew (there are times when I try as hard as I can to understand Geddy Lee but ultimately fail). I'm glad Rock Band got the original version of this track as DLC (Guitar Hero too, albeit over a year late) as you can't beat playing along to the one and only on plastic guitar, although I imagine the members of Rush would disagree since they couldn't even beat the song when they played it on RB years ago.
WaveGroup Sound - It's a noble attempt but let's not fool around here, this cover is a silver medal at best. It just sounds too clean without the little things like the echo or Geddy's screeching vocals (again, it's almost like the guy who does the KISS covers got the wrong memo). Granted there are many things the song gets right such as the space-age synth effects but you can't beat the original. Also, fuck off with that Big Rock Ending outro.
VERDICT - WaveGroup Sound win...of course not! Seriously, what did you expect? It's Rush all the way.
ROUND NINE: The Number Of The Beast
Iron Maiden - Gee, I wonder who'll win this one. No no, let's do this fairly. This is probably Iron Maiden's biggest song next to "Run To The Hills" but this is definitely the superior track of the two. Awesome riff, great bass to match the guitars, dynamite vocals and some superb drumming too. It's an all-round top notch track and I'm so fucking glad GH3 got the master recording of this, otherwise I probably wouldn't love this band as much as I do now.
WaveGroup Sound - Credit where due, this is a pretty sweet cover. The vocalist does a stellar job of matching Bruce Dickinson and dare I say screams better during the intro than Bruce has ever done live. The bassist has also done a good job of emulating Steve Harris although I'm not overly keen on the mix of this track. The drums sound a little too prominent, although that might just be the version I'm listening to.
VERDICT - It's actually quite a tough call (no, really) but I'm going with Iron Maiden. The WaveGroup Sound version sounds like the band members are flagging a little bit towards the end, especially in the vocal and guitar department. Whilst WaveGroup Sound may have had their work cut out for them topping Iron Maiden for this piece of Rock Band DLC, they certainly put up one hell of a fight.
ROUND TEN: Green Grass And High Tides
The Outlaws - Another Showdown, another Southern Rock epic! This ~10 minute boss of a song follows the same formula as "Free Bird", "Highway Song" and "Fall Of The Peacemakers" where the first half is relatively slow and relaxing and the second rips the knob off with furious guitar duelling solos. However, what separates this from those tracks is that unlike Skynyrd and Molly Hatchet, The Outlaws have filled the relaxing half with cool soloing as well. It may be well over nine minutes long but it definitely has more packed into it than any other Southern Rock epic I can think of.
WaveGroup Sound - The grand finale of Rock Band and a strong cover too. The bass in this mix is a little stronger than the original (which sounds awesome during the faster parts) and the guitar solos are lovingly recreated almost to the exact detail. Each band member gives it their all and if they were playing Rock Band, they'd be looking at gold stars all round!
VERDICT - For what I believe to be the better mix and for completing the impossible task of recording a note perfect rendition of this 9:45 epic, which I imagine must've been so fucking stressful in the studio, WaveGroup Sound get the win here. Again, it's a shame neither GH or RB got the master recording of this great track but at least we got something as good as this cover.
...well, this is a little awkward.
WaveGroup Sound walk away with five wins yet again. I can assure you, this wasn't deliberately planned. However, it's pretty cool that on two separate occasions, I've come to the conclusion that WaveGroup Sound are as strong as the bands they're covering when it comes to rerecording in a studio.
As I said last time, there might be a possibility of me returning to a Showdown post with GH/RB covers but it won't be for a while. Either way, let me know if you agree/disagree with my opinions and if you have any WaveGroup Sound covers that you reckon deserve a shout out for being better than the originals.
Friday, 22 January 2016
Showdown: Cover Versions, part 3
Another Showdown post? Alrighty then!
This one was requested via Twitter and the Showdown this time is between WaveGroup Sound cover versions of songs used in Guitar Hero/Rock Band games and the original versions.
For those of you who didn't know, the first five Guitar Hero games (not including handheld ones) and the first Rock Band game had a mix of original master recordings and recorded cover versions by a company called WaveGroup Sound.
I believe the two main reasons for this were either unavailable master recordings from certain bands such as Scorpions or Black Sabbath and cheaper licensing fees due to not using the actual recording of the song (although I'm not certain about that last one). What some of you may not be aware of is that WaveGroup Sound went to painstaking lengths in order to make their cover versions sound as close to the originals as possible.
They made sure they used the correct guitars so each riff would sound correct and even small details such as using the correct type of fan Ozzy speaks into to get the robotic vocal effect at the start of "Iron Man". Needless to say WaveGroup Sound were partly responsible for Guitar Hero taking off in the first place and some people have argued that a handful of WaveGroup Sound covers are actually better than the originals.
In this post, I'll be taking a look at 10 songs from GH and RB (although mostly GH) that were covered by WaveGroup Sound and deciding if they're stronger or weaker than the originals. The covers I'll be picking won't just be random choices though. Sometimes, in order to make an iconic song with a lengthy pause fit into the game and still be fun, WaveGroup added a solo from a live recording or played a few bass riffs on guitar instead.
I'll be choosing songs that I feel are either iconic Rock tracks that you'd never imagine would be covered well OR ones that have been tinkered with that may or may not improve the general quality of the song. If you prefer a WaveGroup Sound cover that I haven't included in this post, let me know on Twitter or in the comments so I can check it out, as it's been several years since I've heard many of these. Who knows, maybe I'll do a Cover Versions Part 3 Part 2 of these songs in the future!
Also, if you want to listen to any of these WaveGroup Sound covers that I mention, a Youtuber by the name of KyleGuichot seems to have uploaded most of them. Right then, let's get ready to rumble!
ROUND ONE: Spanish Castle Magic
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - I wouldn't call this one of Jimi Hendrix's most famous songs but it definitely has some great riffs and psychedelic lyrics. Obviously there's a solo and whilst it's hardly anything spectacular, it suits the song well. Overall, it's a solid pick for the game as it probably introduced people to a Hendrix song that wasn't "All Along The Watchtower" or "Voodoo Chile".
WaveGroup Sound - One of the first on-disc covers on the first Guitar Hero. So why did I pick this song? Two words: no vocals. Due to the Hendrix estate being complete bastards, they objected to anyone in a video game who wasn't Jimi Hendrix singing a Jimi Hendrix song (this was before they realised they were running out of cash and decided to license Jimi Hendrix's image to literally everything including a porno) so WaveGroup had to remove the vocals. On the plus side, the track does actually work well as an instrumental. In fact, many GH fans weren't aware that it had lyrics until the original song was released as Rock Band DLC.
VERDICT - Tricky decision, as both versions have the same strengths. If you like the vocals, you're obviously going to prefer the original but since I much prefer the music and the cover sounds almost identical, I'm giving the win to WaveGroup Sound.
ROUND TWO: Ziggy Stardust
David Bowie - I'm not a huge fan of David Bowie's Glam Rock vocals...or David Bowie in general, for that matter (just because he's dead doesn't mean I'm going to get all gooey over his material now). That being said, I love the main riff for this song. It's a largely uneventful song if you ignore that riff and as soon as you hear that first chord at the very first second, you know exactly which song you're listening to. A decent track!
WaveGroup Sound - Another Guitar Hero track. The vocalist was always going to have a hard time matching David Bowie on this track and sadly, they managed to sound even worse than him. However, one of the interesting points about this cover is that WaveGroup added a solo before the end. Not an amazing solo, as it starts off copying the vocal melody, but soon bursts into some mild shredding before adding some accompaniment to fake Bowie's vocals.
VERDICT - Both versions nail the riff and both versions have crummy vocals. Since the solo doesn't really enhance the track, I'm giving the win to David Bowie since his vocals aren't as bad as the WaveGroup Sound vocalist's. That's probably as close to a tribute as he's going to get on this blog.
ROUND THREE: Carry On Wayward Son
Kansas - Was this song famous before it was included in Guitar Hero 2? I knew about Classic Rock anthems like "More Than A Feeling" way before these games but it's only since GH2 that I started to hear this song being used everywhere. Anyway, it took me a few listens to get into the main riff (I still don't like how it ends) but let's be honest, that's not the best thing about the track. It's the vocal harmonies during the intro/chorus that make it special and nobody can ever recreate them...right?
WaveGroup Sound - ...yup, I was right! Not only do the vocal harmonies in the intro sound tame but the main riff is WAAAAY too heavy. One subtle difference in this cover is that the guitar melody in the first verse comes in a bit earlier, presumably to stop players from feeling bored during all of 15 seconds. There's also a different guitar melody during the third chorus. But yeah, poor palm muting and vocal work aside, it's nothing spectacular.
VERDICT - Well it's clearly Kansas, isn't it? Anyone who prefers the WaveGroup Sound cover has either never heard/has bad memories of the original or they're just being fucking awkward.
ROUND FOUR: Free Bird
Lynyrd Skynyrd - I could sit here and tell you all about this song but the truth is you already know it. If you don't, piss off and listen to it before coming back. It's the one with 4:39 of slide guitar and soft organ before bursting into 4:40 of epic guitar duelling. A perfect choice for the final encore of Guitar Hero 2, provided they don't mess up the cover.
WaveGroup Sound - Good news! They didn't mess up the cover! I mean, it's not as close to the original as the GH1 covers were (WaveGroup must've been going through some stuff during the GH2 sessions) but it's still damn good! The solos are all there and the guitarists didn't get cute with the sections of the solo either but the best thing BY A MILE is that they left the outro in. See, Lynyrd Skynyrd may be awesome but they have this incredibly annoying habit of fading out during solos. Luckily, WaveGroup Sound recorded a blitzkrieg of a Big Rock Ending (coming in at roughly 8:55) that ends with the false finish, just like Lynyrd Skynyrd played live. Probably one of GH2's strongest covers.
VERDICT - Very tricky to decide. The original obviously has the superior music quality but that outro in the cover is fantastic. I'm going to award the win to Lynyrd Skynyrd as I prefer their original overall and would rather listen to that than the cover, although I do recommend listening to the WaveGroup Sound cover's outro if you've not heard it!
ROUND FIVE: What I Like About You
The Romantics - I remember first hearing this song in an advert for Family Guy: The Video Game, which was probably the best thing about that pile of shit. The song itself is pretty cool, sounding a lot like "Cherry Cherry" - Neil Diamond but with a pointless harmonica solo in the middle. Overall, it's a decent song with catchy guitar but that's about it.
WaveGroup Sound - So here's a fun little factoid; The Romantics actually tried to sue Activision over this cover in Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks The 80's on the grounds that it sounded nothing like their song! The main difference comes from the inclusion of a sweet guitar solo that actually improves the song more than a pathetic lawsuit but it's an easy mistake to make by a band with many songs but only one that's considered memorable, I guess.
VERDICT - Giving this to WaveGroup Sound for adding a solo that fit in perfectly and sounds awesome, even if the music in the original recording does sound a little better than the cover.
ROUND SIX: Rock And Roll All Nite
KISS - Possibly the band's most famous song due to the chorus but I guess the main guitar riff is pretty cool too. I wouldn't really call it an iconic guitar song but it's definitely a well known Hard Rock hit, hence its inclusion in GH3. It's just a shame they didn't include the guitar solo that they often play at live gigs in the studio recording, as it fits like a glove.
WaveGroup Sound - Fortunately, someone at WaveGroup Sound has a brain in their head and realised "Hold on, why don't we just include it?". It's a faithful cover that includes the best elements from the studio original and live recordings by the band, although a friend of mine pointed out that it's a bit weird when the vocalist shouts "Come on!" and "I can't hear you!" like he's actually playing it live, since we know he would've been sat in a recording studio somewhere singing that to nobody.
VERDICT - I like some of KISS' material but I have to award this win to WaveGroup Sound for making what I would call a better Hard Rock song than one of the biggest Hard Rock bands/marketing franchises on the planet.
ROUND SEVEN: Train Kept A-Rollin'
Aerosmith - Originally a song by The Yardbirds but covered by Aerosmith on their 2nd album. Unlike the original, this song starts off quite slow but speeds up after a couple of solos. Overall, it's a great cover that the band have taken and made their own. It might not be my favourite Aerosmith song but it's always pretty cool to play on Rock Band.
WaveGroup Sound - I'm assuming WaveGroup recorded the cover of this song for RB1 but if they didn't, let's assume I'm talking about the correct artist. I've got to say, this could be one of the best covers on the list. The vocals are as good as (if not better) than Steven Tyler's and I like the fact that the cover sounds more like a studio version than the original, since Aerosmith included cheering before the tempo increases for some fucking reason.
VERDICT - Another tricky call to make. I prefer Joe Perry's guitar work but honestly, I think I'd rather listen to the cover more than the original. WaveGroup Sound net a well earned win!
ROUND EIGHT: My Sharona
The Knack - This song is a little similar to "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello but it has a pretty special place in my heart, mostly due to the guitar solo being one of my all-time favourites. It has a decent structure, some cool bass and catchy lyrics too. It might be a one-hit wonder but I would argue that it has everything a top notch Rock song needs.
WaveGroup Sound - One of the earliest songs released as DLC for Rock Band and, in my opinion, one of the best. It's a shame they couldn't get the master recording but at least WaveGroup recorded the extended solo instead of the single edit version. Musically speaking, the solo is almost identical but there are a few differences here and there that I'm not overly fond of compared to the original though. However, it's still a decent cover.
VERDICT - Whilst I do love playing this song on Rock Band and enjoy listening to it as well, I have to give the win to The Knack. The cover doesn't really add or improve on anything but I thought it was worth mentioning for including the extended solo that not many people would know about if they were introduced to the song via radio or compilation album.
ROUND NINE: All The Young Dudes
Mott The Hoople - I was pretty surprised when this song was included on Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, as I honestly doubt anyone who worked on the ATVI GH games knows anything about this band. However, I love this song. It's an excellent track from start to finish and yes, I'm aware David Bowie wrote it.
WaveGroup Sound - First up, what a fantastic cover! Everyone involved deserves a fucking medal for sounding pitch perfect for the majority of the song but that's not where my adoration comes from. If you've listened to the original, you'll know that it repeats the second chorus until it fades out...but not here! After the second chorus, the band bursts into a bitching solo that carries through the final chorus until the song actually ends. As an additional extra, some fancy guitar licks are placed throughout the song (presumably to improve the guitar chart). In short, I fucking love this cover.
VERDICT - WaveGroup Sound, WaveGroup Sound, WaveGroup Sound, WaveGroup Fucking Sound! This is the only WaveGroup Sound cover I have on my phone and I honestly listen to this more than the original. If you love the original, you'd be a fool not to seek this cover out.
ROUND TEN: Black Betty
Ram Jam - Another one-hit wonder from the 70's that has a surprisingly fun solo, although it's more well known for the call & response in the verses. I'm not a huge fan of this song but I always appreciate hearing it every now and then. I also have no idea if Ram Jam have done any other decent songs but I feel like this song is good enough for me to give them a chance, if anyone has any recommendations.
WaveGroup Sound - This was actually one of the last WaveGroup Sound covers before GH/RB became completely reliant on master recordings. It was released as DLC in 2008 and as far as covers go, it's incredibly strong. However, unlike cover versions in this list that add solos and such, this cover stays faithful to the original. For that reason, there aren't really many advantages over Ram Jam here.
VERDICT - If it wasn't obvious from that last sentence, Ram Jam win the last round although at least WaveGroup Sound ended their tenure on a high note.
So, after ten rounds, the scores are 5 all, thus proving that WaveGroup Sound are just as good as the originals...which I probably could've told you before you started reading but oh well!
Remember, I may do another one of these with more WaveGroup Sound covers although not for a while. If you want to see that happen, tell me which songs to compare as there are plenty to choose from.
This one was requested via Twitter and the Showdown this time is between WaveGroup Sound cover versions of songs used in Guitar Hero/Rock Band games and the original versions.
For those of you who didn't know, the first five Guitar Hero games (not including handheld ones) and the first Rock Band game had a mix of original master recordings and recorded cover versions by a company called WaveGroup Sound.
I believe the two main reasons for this were either unavailable master recordings from certain bands such as Scorpions or Black Sabbath and cheaper licensing fees due to not using the actual recording of the song (although I'm not certain about that last one). What some of you may not be aware of is that WaveGroup Sound went to painstaking lengths in order to make their cover versions sound as close to the originals as possible.
They made sure they used the correct guitars so each riff would sound correct and even small details such as using the correct type of fan Ozzy speaks into to get the robotic vocal effect at the start of "Iron Man". Needless to say WaveGroup Sound were partly responsible for Guitar Hero taking off in the first place and some people have argued that a handful of WaveGroup Sound covers are actually better than the originals.
In this post, I'll be taking a look at 10 songs from GH and RB (although mostly GH) that were covered by WaveGroup Sound and deciding if they're stronger or weaker than the originals. The covers I'll be picking won't just be random choices though. Sometimes, in order to make an iconic song with a lengthy pause fit into the game and still be fun, WaveGroup added a solo from a live recording or played a few bass riffs on guitar instead.
I'll be choosing songs that I feel are either iconic Rock tracks that you'd never imagine would be covered well OR ones that have been tinkered with that may or may not improve the general quality of the song. If you prefer a WaveGroup Sound cover that I haven't included in this post, let me know on Twitter or in the comments so I can check it out, as it's been several years since I've heard many of these. Who knows, maybe I'll do a Cover Versions Part 3 Part 2 of these songs in the future!
Also, if you want to listen to any of these WaveGroup Sound covers that I mention, a Youtuber by the name of KyleGuichot seems to have uploaded most of them. Right then, let's get ready to rumble!
ROUND ONE: Spanish Castle Magic
The Jimi Hendrix Experience - I wouldn't call this one of Jimi Hendrix's most famous songs but it definitely has some great riffs and psychedelic lyrics. Obviously there's a solo and whilst it's hardly anything spectacular, it suits the song well. Overall, it's a solid pick for the game as it probably introduced people to a Hendrix song that wasn't "All Along The Watchtower" or "Voodoo Chile".
WaveGroup Sound - One of the first on-disc covers on the first Guitar Hero. So why did I pick this song? Two words: no vocals. Due to the Hendrix estate being complete bastards, they objected to anyone in a video game who wasn't Jimi Hendrix singing a Jimi Hendrix song (this was before they realised they were running out of cash and decided to license Jimi Hendrix's image to literally everything including a porno) so WaveGroup had to remove the vocals. On the plus side, the track does actually work well as an instrumental. In fact, many GH fans weren't aware that it had lyrics until the original song was released as Rock Band DLC.
VERDICT - Tricky decision, as both versions have the same strengths. If you like the vocals, you're obviously going to prefer the original but since I much prefer the music and the cover sounds almost identical, I'm giving the win to WaveGroup Sound.
ROUND TWO: Ziggy Stardust
David Bowie - I'm not a huge fan of David Bowie's Glam Rock vocals...or David Bowie in general, for that matter (just because he's dead doesn't mean I'm going to get all gooey over his material now). That being said, I love the main riff for this song. It's a largely uneventful song if you ignore that riff and as soon as you hear that first chord at the very first second, you know exactly which song you're listening to. A decent track!
WaveGroup Sound - Another Guitar Hero track. The vocalist was always going to have a hard time matching David Bowie on this track and sadly, they managed to sound even worse than him. However, one of the interesting points about this cover is that WaveGroup added a solo before the end. Not an amazing solo, as it starts off copying the vocal melody, but soon bursts into some mild shredding before adding some accompaniment to fake Bowie's vocals.
VERDICT - Both versions nail the riff and both versions have crummy vocals. Since the solo doesn't really enhance the track, I'm giving the win to David Bowie since his vocals aren't as bad as the WaveGroup Sound vocalist's. That's probably as close to a tribute as he's going to get on this blog.
ROUND THREE: Carry On Wayward Son
Kansas - Was this song famous before it was included in Guitar Hero 2? I knew about Classic Rock anthems like "More Than A Feeling" way before these games but it's only since GH2 that I started to hear this song being used everywhere. Anyway, it took me a few listens to get into the main riff (I still don't like how it ends) but let's be honest, that's not the best thing about the track. It's the vocal harmonies during the intro/chorus that make it special and nobody can ever recreate them...right?
WaveGroup Sound - ...yup, I was right! Not only do the vocal harmonies in the intro sound tame but the main riff is WAAAAY too heavy. One subtle difference in this cover is that the guitar melody in the first verse comes in a bit earlier, presumably to stop players from feeling bored during all of 15 seconds. There's also a different guitar melody during the third chorus. But yeah, poor palm muting and vocal work aside, it's nothing spectacular.
VERDICT - Well it's clearly Kansas, isn't it? Anyone who prefers the WaveGroup Sound cover has either never heard/has bad memories of the original or they're just being fucking awkward.
ROUND FOUR: Free Bird
Lynyrd Skynyrd - I could sit here and tell you all about this song but the truth is you already know it. If you don't, piss off and listen to it before coming back. It's the one with 4:39 of slide guitar and soft organ before bursting into 4:40 of epic guitar duelling. A perfect choice for the final encore of Guitar Hero 2, provided they don't mess up the cover.
WaveGroup Sound - Good news! They didn't mess up the cover! I mean, it's not as close to the original as the GH1 covers were (WaveGroup must've been going through some stuff during the GH2 sessions) but it's still damn good! The solos are all there and the guitarists didn't get cute with the sections of the solo either but the best thing BY A MILE is that they left the outro in. See, Lynyrd Skynyrd may be awesome but they have this incredibly annoying habit of fading out during solos. Luckily, WaveGroup Sound recorded a blitzkrieg of a Big Rock Ending (coming in at roughly 8:55) that ends with the false finish, just like Lynyrd Skynyrd played live. Probably one of GH2's strongest covers.
VERDICT - Very tricky to decide. The original obviously has the superior music quality but that outro in the cover is fantastic. I'm going to award the win to Lynyrd Skynyrd as I prefer their original overall and would rather listen to that than the cover, although I do recommend listening to the WaveGroup Sound cover's outro if you've not heard it!
ROUND FIVE: What I Like About You
The Romantics - I remember first hearing this song in an advert for Family Guy: The Video Game, which was probably the best thing about that pile of shit. The song itself is pretty cool, sounding a lot like "Cherry Cherry" - Neil Diamond but with a pointless harmonica solo in the middle. Overall, it's a decent song with catchy guitar but that's about it.
WaveGroup Sound - So here's a fun little factoid; The Romantics actually tried to sue Activision over this cover in Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks The 80's on the grounds that it sounded nothing like their song! The main difference comes from the inclusion of a sweet guitar solo that actually improves the song more than a pathetic lawsuit but it's an easy mistake to make by a band with many songs but only one that's considered memorable, I guess.
VERDICT - Giving this to WaveGroup Sound for adding a solo that fit in perfectly and sounds awesome, even if the music in the original recording does sound a little better than the cover.
ROUND SIX: Rock And Roll All Nite
KISS - Possibly the band's most famous song due to the chorus but I guess the main guitar riff is pretty cool too. I wouldn't really call it an iconic guitar song but it's definitely a well known Hard Rock hit, hence its inclusion in GH3. It's just a shame they didn't include the guitar solo that they often play at live gigs in the studio recording, as it fits like a glove.
WaveGroup Sound - Fortunately, someone at WaveGroup Sound has a brain in their head and realised "Hold on, why don't we just include it?". It's a faithful cover that includes the best elements from the studio original and live recordings by the band, although a friend of mine pointed out that it's a bit weird when the vocalist shouts "Come on!" and "I can't hear you!" like he's actually playing it live, since we know he would've been sat in a recording studio somewhere singing that to nobody.
VERDICT - I like some of KISS' material but I have to award this win to WaveGroup Sound for making what I would call a better Hard Rock song than one of the biggest Hard Rock bands/marketing franchises on the planet.
ROUND SEVEN: Train Kept A-Rollin'
Aerosmith - Originally a song by The Yardbirds but covered by Aerosmith on their 2nd album. Unlike the original, this song starts off quite slow but speeds up after a couple of solos. Overall, it's a great cover that the band have taken and made their own. It might not be my favourite Aerosmith song but it's always pretty cool to play on Rock Band.
WaveGroup Sound - I'm assuming WaveGroup recorded the cover of this song for RB1 but if they didn't, let's assume I'm talking about the correct artist. I've got to say, this could be one of the best covers on the list. The vocals are as good as (if not better) than Steven Tyler's and I like the fact that the cover sounds more like a studio version than the original, since Aerosmith included cheering before the tempo increases for some fucking reason.
VERDICT - Another tricky call to make. I prefer Joe Perry's guitar work but honestly, I think I'd rather listen to the cover more than the original. WaveGroup Sound net a well earned win!
ROUND EIGHT: My Sharona
The Knack - This song is a little similar to "Pump It Up" - Elvis Costello but it has a pretty special place in my heart, mostly due to the guitar solo being one of my all-time favourites. It has a decent structure, some cool bass and catchy lyrics too. It might be a one-hit wonder but I would argue that it has everything a top notch Rock song needs.
WaveGroup Sound - One of the earliest songs released as DLC for Rock Band and, in my opinion, one of the best. It's a shame they couldn't get the master recording but at least WaveGroup recorded the extended solo instead of the single edit version. Musically speaking, the solo is almost identical but there are a few differences here and there that I'm not overly fond of compared to the original though. However, it's still a decent cover.
VERDICT - Whilst I do love playing this song on Rock Band and enjoy listening to it as well, I have to give the win to The Knack. The cover doesn't really add or improve on anything but I thought it was worth mentioning for including the extended solo that not many people would know about if they were introduced to the song via radio or compilation album.
ROUND NINE: All The Young Dudes
Mott The Hoople - I was pretty surprised when this song was included on Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, as I honestly doubt anyone who worked on the ATVI GH games knows anything about this band. However, I love this song. It's an excellent track from start to finish and yes, I'm aware David Bowie wrote it.
WaveGroup Sound - First up, what a fantastic cover! Everyone involved deserves a fucking medal for sounding pitch perfect for the majority of the song but that's not where my adoration comes from. If you've listened to the original, you'll know that it repeats the second chorus until it fades out...but not here! After the second chorus, the band bursts into a bitching solo that carries through the final chorus until the song actually ends. As an additional extra, some fancy guitar licks are placed throughout the song (presumably to improve the guitar chart). In short, I fucking love this cover.
VERDICT - WaveGroup Sound, WaveGroup Sound, WaveGroup Sound, WaveGroup Fucking Sound! This is the only WaveGroup Sound cover I have on my phone and I honestly listen to this more than the original. If you love the original, you'd be a fool not to seek this cover out.
ROUND TEN: Black Betty
Ram Jam - Another one-hit wonder from the 70's that has a surprisingly fun solo, although it's more well known for the call & response in the verses. I'm not a huge fan of this song but I always appreciate hearing it every now and then. I also have no idea if Ram Jam have done any other decent songs but I feel like this song is good enough for me to give them a chance, if anyone has any recommendations.
WaveGroup Sound - This was actually one of the last WaveGroup Sound covers before GH/RB became completely reliant on master recordings. It was released as DLC in 2008 and as far as covers go, it's incredibly strong. However, unlike cover versions in this list that add solos and such, this cover stays faithful to the original. For that reason, there aren't really many advantages over Ram Jam here.
VERDICT - If it wasn't obvious from that last sentence, Ram Jam win the last round although at least WaveGroup Sound ended their tenure on a high note.
So, after ten rounds, the scores are 5 all, thus proving that WaveGroup Sound are just as good as the originals...which I probably could've told you before you started reading but oh well!
Remember, I may do another one of these with more WaveGroup Sound covers although not for a while. If you want to see that happen, tell me which songs to compare as there are plenty to choose from.
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