29 January 2021 - Giorgio Moroder - Tom's Diner

I decided not to put the "featured" artist in the title of today's blog post.

28 January 2021 - The East Pointers - In Bloom

I have a funny feeling we're going to posting a lot of stuff from The East Pointers.  The little folk band from Prince Edward Island is absolutely delightful and it is criminal that Mumford and Sons gets a lot of attention and these guys don't.

This particular version of Nirvana's classic "In Bloom" takes some cues musically from the Sturgill Simpson cover while accurately paying homage to the original.  This version is noteworthy for being percussion-free, allowing a violin to stand in for guitar and letting the guitar and banjo handle the rhythm.  

27 January 2021 - Toadies - Heart of Glass

90's "alternative" hitmakers The Toadies appeared on KXRP Radio in 2014 and did this almost completely acoustic, completely swampy cover of the Blondie classic.  It's not female-driven, which is unusual for a cover of this song, but the desperation in the song shines through.

27 January 2021 - Gisele Bündchen - Heart of Glass

Most of the other covers we post today are excellent.  This one is no exception, but it's very different than the others. 

Gisele's cover of the Blondie classic was commissioned by H&M.  Whereas most of the other versions of this song today are paying some tribute to the punk/rock aspect of the song, this version is 100% electronic, going full-on disco and uptempo.  Gisele takes the vocal out of dreamy and into sultry.

27 January 2021 - Grace Potter & the Nocturnals - Heart of Glass

Whereas the original version of this song was a full-on disco homage, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals turn it into a rock anthem, leaving the electronic elements out and minimizing the percussion entirely.  Seems like this version is well-suited for the Flying V being used!

27 January 2021 - Superbus - Heart Of Glass

In the past, we might have just made a "Heart of Glass" special edition post. 

We aren't going to do that today.  

A lot of people who criticize covers of this Blondie classic don't like that the vocalists cannot match Debbie Harry's original dreamy vocal.  Jennifer Ayache, lead vocalist of French band Superbus, doesn't even try to do that.  She brings a different dreamlike vocal to the song, and it works. 

27 January 2021 - Miley Cyrus - Heart Of Glass

Miley's take on Blondie is a study in homage and contrast.   The original version of this song was a disco/rock fusion built around a drum machine beat, with Debbie Harry's breathy falsetto driving the lyrics home.

Miley's take does MUSICALLY pay homage to the disco influence, with the obvious drum machine opening.  There is, however, no breathy falsetto, instead being replaced by her trademark huge throaty voice.... and it works here, almost bringing a bigger desperation to the song.  

This performance had such a positive review that it was released as a single and added to the digital edition of her album, Plastic Hearts.