Interactive Poll X: Cover Your Ears!

1.  suitkees:  Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Covered by Shaka Ponk:  Here is another pretty female vocal taking the song on, and ooooooh!  With strings!  Loving this.  For some reason, it is so much more ominous to me when a woman sings this song.  She’s joined in with the male vocal as well, next.  This is just so restrained and spooky.  In this version, the band kicks in full bore after the first couple of verses.  Kind of an amalgam of the acoustic way to do this song, along with the heavy grunge way it was done originally, with some classical overtones as well, provided by the strings and full chorus.  Definitely this one may be a contender for me. 

2.  Mike:  Unicorn’s “No Way Out of Here,” Covered by Iron & Wine and Ben Bridwell. Definitely love the melancholy in thisHere it is presented in a more Americana than Alt Rock sound, although at times the harmonies are reminiscent of CSN&Y.  Same almost haunted place feeling, but with some steel guitar and crisper vocals and harmonies.  This one gives me chills.  Excellent choice and an excellent cover of the original.

3.  Lewian:  The Beatles “Tomorrow Never Knows,”  Covered by Daniela Andrade: Yours and Mike’s had a tough competition!  Here on solo electric guitar, she does a little bit of a lisp, not sure if it’s intentional or not.  Still keeps the dreamy feel of the piece, there is a nice chorus with herself a couple of times, way back in the mix, with a tiny bit of some kind of keys underpinning that part.  Lovely and turns it into another thing, entirely, in this singer/songwriter mode. 

Honourable Mentions:  Well, really, everyone, but these are the ones that contended the most to also be in the Top 3, in no particular order:

I prophesy disaster:  The United States of America “The Garden of Earthly Delights,”  Covered by Snakefinger:  I just love psych and tis was an excellent updated take on the original.  The sound is a bit different, with the male vocals and guitars!  It mostly follows quite closely, otherwise, except with less whirly-swirlies.  But still a nice, complementary piece, to be played side by side with the original. Well done!

George:  Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs,”  Covered by Brass Against ft Maya Azucena. I loved the ingenuity of arranging this piece, in this way. Very heavy, this time with so much brass!  Great idea to cover this, in this way.  Oh yeah, great pipes on Maya!  Absolutely just as powerful, with the band as killer as the singer. 

The Anders:  Haydn’s “Symphony No. 94,” the 2^nd movement,  Covered by the Hoffnung Music Festival: I love humour in music and this had it aplenty.   Here is the same piece of music, albeit with VERY big dramatic shifts, done in a comedic way.  They continue with this approach with very slippy-slidy strings when the occasion warrants it and very stern accentuated parts.  This is really fun, overall, reminds me of Warner Brother’s cartoons.  Certainly Haydn’s intent was to be comedic, as well, though of course,  we don’t have a live recording of his music with audience from his time.  Can’t help but wonder what he would have thought….was he funny, or would he be upset? 

BaldFriede:  The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,”  Covered by Barbara Dennerlein:  Starts off with quirky organ and horns, funky/jazzy percussion. Slows down a bit for some bass and then a horn solo.  What a fun cover this is, turns it completely around. I was directed to some other videos of hers as well, she’s absolutely phenomenal.