11 May 2020 - Royal Teeth - Heartbeats

I don't usually revisit the same song so frequently as this one - recall that I published a folk cover of this song by The Knife about two week ago - unless I'm doing a whole theme week.

This song is different.  So many artists have their own unique and really good takes on what was originally a synth-heavy song, it's impossible to ignore.

Royal Teeth started off in folk, actually.  By the time they got around to recording "Heartbeats" in 2012, they were a percussion-heavy band - and it shows in their take of the song, which borrows heavily from both the José González and original version - while still making it completely their own.

It is, possibly, my favorite version of the song.



This cover is so good I had to publish a 2nd performance of it.  It isn't all that different from the 1st one, but it's beautifully undetatched, in stark contrast to the original, which has famously and intentionally cold.  Royal Teeth also bring a lot more energy to the song than anyone else - it's not quiet or calm.  It's desperate and pleading.

8 May 2020 - KONGOS - Tokoloshe Man

When a musician has four sons, of course they're going to form a band and cover his songs.

They do a great job paying tribute to their dad, John Kongos, who was a bit of a late hippie who had a few hits in the 1970's - and they even throw in a little accordion to liven things a bit.

4 May 2020 - Ween - Ohio

ON this 50th anniversary of the Kent State massacre, there's no other song to play.



Ween, known for being off-kilter, do an amazingly and unexpected straight reading of this song.







If you aren't familiar with the original, or the story, it's over here on Wicked Guilty Pleasures.