Track of the Moment: Season in the Sun by Jacques Brel covered by Nirvana

           Covers are a mixed bag.  Sometimes you get a carbon copy.  It’s okay, but the artist didn’t really add anything to it.  On the other end of the spectrum you get the “poetic license” cover where the artist really stretches the limit of the song, and really makes the song their own.  In this case I’m not really sure which is the case.

            Kurt Cobain mentioned this song several times during his life saying that it really touched him and made him cry.  Personally, I don’t blame him.  The subject is pretty heavy.  If you listen to the lyrics it’s about a guy saying his final goodbyes to the world.  The version he would have listened to is the 1974 Terry Jack version, if I’m not mistaken, but he could have also heard a version by the Television Personalities.  This song has been covered so many times that he could have taken bits from quite a few different versions.

            If he based this song off the Jack version then he falls in the middle of the two extremes.  This version is certainly unique with own with his inclusion of certain lyrics, and a few new lyrics (because he forgot them).  At the same time he certainly doesn’t stray to far from the version that inspired him.

            Give it a listen, and keep in mind this was an impromptu recording that wasn’t intended for release.   It adds a level of sincerity and spontaneity that Nirvana was really known for.

Track of the Moment: Where Did You Sleep Last Night by WZRD

Rapper/singer Kid Cudi and his long-time producer Dot da Genius have created a new group – WZRD, and have recently put out a new album.

I know what you’re going to tell me – “Eric, it twas not but a pair of evenings ago that thou hast ensured me that thou would not take your Track of the Moment to talk about hip-hop”. I would then immediately punch you and burn you as a time traveling witch, what with your eloquent Shakespearean English and ability to retain memories for more than 2 days. And as your body turned to ash I would yell “But WZRD is electronic alternative rock!”

Now, the reason I throw in the “electronic”, as opposed to the media-approved just alt-rock label they gave them is that, throughout the album, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was listening to a DJ the entire time, even after knowing Mr. Solo Dolo laid down all the guitar tracks. And that’s because I was. While the relatively basic riffs are all Cudi, the rest of the compositions are all Dot da Genius’s computer. Yes, I’m sure that all of the music (besides the strings) will be played live on real instruments, but it doesn’t stop many of the tracks from having an artificial feel. Even bands that use synths and/or electronic drum kits have this feeling that everyone is playing their instrument during the recording. I’m not saying it’s bad; I’m currently enjoying the album. I just can’t, in good faith, call this alternative, lest I lead the faithful FoaLiaBMB readers astray.

Alright, now that I’m done ranting about the media and time traveling women, on to the actual music. Kid Cudi has always had a decent voice, but it seems he was told it was fantastic by too many people, and that’s how the horrible high octaves on “Erase Me” happened (or so I imagine). However, in this Nirvana, Hendrix, and Pixies inspired debut album, Kid Cudi doesn’t stretch his vocal range too far and stays mostly in the lows, where he sounds best.

And most of the music also stays in the low ranges, and, given the heavy Nirvana inspiration, it’s a bit unsurprising. However, Dot da Genius can’t seem to get past his hip-hop background, and uses drum machines and synths to create the rest of the music, and it’s pretty obvious (in a bad way). That said, it doesn’t sound horrible; you can tell they were going for more of a spacey, out-there feel, and they definitely got it. It doesn’t have that same passion as a true rock album, but it’s still in the same chilled-out vein that “The Mood” or “We Aite” are in.

This is an interesting experiment. Changing genres is harder than you think, especially from one that is more vocally focused like hip-hop to the more group-orientated rock. Check out a few songs by them, for no other reason than to just see what they did. It’s not amazing, but it’s better than expected. I’m curious to see what WZRD does for their next album, now that Cudi knows how to play guitar (he was learning to play as he wrote this album).

I decided to go with their cover of Nirvana’s “Where Did You Sleep Last Night”, so as best to get hits showcase the fact that they’re pretty committed to the whole rock thing, but still put a slight hip-hop spin on it. Past that, I would suggest “Teleport 2 Me, Jamie”, “Live & Learn”, and “Efflictim”.

Also, I threw in a link to a video series chronicling the making of the album, and which includes the various troubles Cudi and DdG went through in the conversion. It’s short and interesting.

http://www.complex.com/music/2012/02/the-making-of-wzrd/

Happy Birthday Kurt Cobain!

It’s always weird writing b-day shout outs to people you don’t know (just ask anyone on face book,) but I figured I needed to try for Kurt for two reasons: 1 in a way I think he was a lot like a few of the guys here on the blog, and 2 he’s kind of a big deal.

I’ll start with the second one. Some people could argue Nirvana sold out, signing with a big label, putting out poppy songs that weren’t really grunge at all. But that’s not what this article’s about (although my retort would probably contain the phrase ‘one of the greatest post-punk albums ever’.) He was the front man and creative force of one of the most important “generation x” bands of all time, sold millions of records, and changed music for better or worse. How have you spent 1991, probably not that I would wager.

The other reason is I think he was a profound music lover, just like the guys I have the privilege to work with on the blog. He was able to walk the line where he loved obscure artsy bands like the Vaselines, Pixies, raincoats, Meat Puppets (the list goes on), as well as successful mainstream artist like AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, Black Sabbath (again the list goes on). If it was good he liked it no matter how big or small they were. That’s something that I feel we don’t have enough of, even today where everything a band has ever put out ever is one click away.

So Happy Birthday Kurt! I hope wherever you are they have the radio on.