Posts Tagged ‘Covers’

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Not into the punk-rap rage of Travie McCoy? Don’t like what you hear having commercial success these days? I can’t hate. Here is a different version. A friend sent me this video, and I am still uncertain how I feel, so I am opening it up to the BTB devotees to review.

A Rocket to the Moon covers Billionaire in a very dissimilar way. I am not too sure how I feel about it, for it sounds like a wholly different song. The boys are on this year’s annual punk rock extravaganza Warped Tour, which leads to success for many artists like themselves. I’m into covers but if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. I respect its exclusivity, and see how it would draw a whole fresh crowd into the song, I just don’t feel as if the boy’s got the chops of Bruno Mars. Cover or no cover, vocalists need to know their own limits; master before you pay tribute.

Let’s break it down; music is a discussion, with artists dialoguing by way of lyrics and themes. Which means a cover is the most straight and attractive form of communication. It provides artists like Rocket to the Moon with the likelihood not only to pay respect to their influences (in this case, label-mate Travie McCoy), but also to insert or take away significance from the original version as they see fit. Long story not too short: remakes either want to make the reviewer turn the dial, or cringe when it’s an otherwise fine artist making a mistake. This private pop acoustic version could go in either direction. I dig change, but for some reason, I can’t find the prize thing that was buried.

Numerous people have commented on the video calling it “better than the original” and “a fantastic remake” — do you agree? Let’s not get it twisted, A Rocket to the Moon is signed under Fueled By Ramen, which is leisurely building one of the utmost empires in the mainstream powerpop trade, including artists such as Paramore and Fall Out Boy. With an exceedingly stacked line up, it’s almost a sure thing whenever they sign an up-to-the-minute artist (for every time we close our eyes, we see their names in shining lights).

These boys have the potential to have huge success, so why bask in the fruit of another? Billionaire isn’t the greatest song in the world, but it’s rap-pop revelry style makes it unique, not really sounding much like other things out right now. I’m just saying, once a shoe is shined, it’s senseless to run through the mud.

What do you think of the cover? Does this rocket have the potential to soar to the moon, or does the band just want to be billionaires, so freakin’ bad?

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

There’s many things that are fun to YouTube: puppies, Jake Gyllenhaal, Wanda Sykes turd (no, really, do it!), etc. But one of my favorite YouTube subjects is covers. Yep, sometimes it’s annoying because a good majority of YouTubers doing covers have what I like to call AIAS (American Idol Audition Syndrom) — ya know, where one thinks they are the best singer in the world when in reality their vocal chords make you want to jump out a window. But sometimes you will land on something that blows your mind…and this is where Nikki Flores comes in.

Nikki Flores isn’t some chick in Wisconsin with a webcam though (not that there’s anything wrong with that!); she’s already a signed, established artist in many ways. She hasn’t really broke ground much in America but I believe she has a ton of potential to do so. I wrote about her last year as I discovered one of her songs and absolutely fell in love with it, the song Let It Slide, with its Ryan Tedder-like feel and drippy sweet lyrics.

The video you’re about to see is new and judging by the way it ends, apparently Flores will have a single out soon. Something I will definitely be looking out for (and so should you). Her voice was made for mainstream pop music as it fits nicely over the song she covers with piano in tow.

Check out Nikki Flores covering Alicia Keys’ Unthinkable, below.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Here’s a nice cover to make your Friday even better! BTB Fav’s and pop-darlings Passion Pit have covered Smashing Pumpkins 90’s ballad Tonight, Tonight, and let’s just say, they smashed it. Two totally different groups vibing over a wonderful jam. The cover is a part to Levi’s Pioneer Sessions Series, which aims is to share songs that have influenced today’s artists, who rework the original as their own. Pretty breezy concept, don’cha think?

Passion Pit frontman, Michael Angelakos, has a thing for unexpected covers, and we’re glad he stumbled upon this one. I think his high voice gets the message of the beautiful song across. It’s completely reconstructed from top to bottom, so be prepared if you’re not into change.

This may make some die-hard Smashing Pumpkin fans sick, but we’re always willing to take a chance. Not here to observe or critique it, just to enjoy it. What do ya’ll think of Passion Pit’s cover?

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Stuck in a shitty job you hate? Read below for inspiration.

Madonna once worked at Dunkin Donuts, before exploding as, well, Madonna. Gwen Stefani mopped floors at Dairy Queen. Kanye West worked at The Gap. Pink, Macy Gray, and Shania Twain all worked at McDonalds. And Corey Monteith, before landing the role of a lifetime on the extremely popular Glee, worked as a Walmart Greeter.

Monteith, who recently appeared in ads for the chain, worked at the jumbo-sized retailer in Nanaimo, British Columbia. When he wasn’t handing out smiles to people on the hunt for a deal, Monteith spent his downtime playing the drums. During the auditioning process for Glee, Monteith made a video playing drums on everyday objects, which landed him a callback for the second phase of auditions. For the next round, he was told he would have to sing. According to Monteith, he had never sung before and went out and bought old Billy Joel records for inspiration. He decided to sing Honesty for the audition.

At about 4:00 p.m. the audition ended. And at 4:35 p.m. he received a call saying that that he had landed the part of high school jock Finn Hudson.

Bashed or embraced, no one can deny the goldmine of the series. According to Nielsen Soundscan, since Glee The Music: Volume 1, more than 7.4 million Glee songs have been downloaded in digital format.

Although his vocals are not mind-blowing, I love Monteith’s voice. It’s a great recording voice, one that spawned my favorite number from this past season of Glee, when Finn Hudson brewed a cup of steam over the classic Jessie’s Girl.

Listen to the track in its entirety, below (again and again and again). I can’t seem to stop playing this damn song!

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Although the music is not normal on my rotation, this is yummy.

Daughtry and Miss Kelly Clarkson recently came together for a huge duet. When two mega talents collide, it broadens horizons for listeners, especially when it’s two items of the same kind; American Idols. Kelly joined Daughtry on stage this weekend in Nashville, where the two performed their own rendition of Tracy Chapman’s ruminative 1988 ballad Fast Car.

Other than their titles, something else makes these two idolistic these days; the concert raised money for Nashville flood relief. It was a complete surprise, and surely a treat for concert goers. Kelly and Daughtry are success stories from the competition, selling millions of albums worldwide.

On an ordinary day, I would not be expressing my opinion on American Idols, for there are too many to discuss. But these two propelled their careers much differently, languishing in the role of dippy ingénue or shunting their musical development by leaning too heavily on overnight stardom? Negative. Instead they dug their heels and allowed good sense (or a good manager) to steer them in the right direction.

An epic collaboration for a good cause? Bring it on.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

I mighta been born just plain white trash but Fancy was my name!

Sorry, had to throw that out there.

Country legend Reba McEntire put a country ring on it when she recently covered Beyonce’s classic hit, If I Were a Boy for a recent episode of CMT’s Unplugged. And the outcome is amazing! Reba takes the song and sings it effortlessly, proving that if a message is universal (ya know, the whole boys being douchebags thing) then it can be sung in any format, in any language, in any part of the world and will still have a powerful effect on the audience, if the artist connects with the song emotionally. And Reba certainly does.

This is not the first time a song of Beyonce’s was covered by another well-know country artist. In 2007, Sugarland famously performed Irreplaceable on the American Music Awards where Knowles even took to the stage to join in singing along.

Check out Reba’s spin on If I Were A Boy, below.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

This kid knocks it out of the park!

Sixth-grader Greyson Michael Chance recently rocked his middle school with a performance of GaGa’s Paparazzi that has the internet buzzing and many saying it outshines the original. The viral video has a few million hits (and counting).

Now, many of you may have already seen this kid but for all of you have yet to witness his genius, I knew I had to post for everyone to soak up the awesomeness that is his version of Paparazzi. What is great about his spin on the song is that it’s meshed in a way that makes the song have an actual emotional reaction.

According to his YouTube page, he apparently loves Augustana (a favorite of ours). The kid is mega-talented and clearly has good taste. Give it a few years kid, and I am sure you will be on your way.

Watch Greyson’s appearence on Ellen plus the original viral performance, below.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Although not as big as The Rolling Stones, Green Day really Rips This Joint. I witnessed this go down on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, where they kicked off a week of special performances devoted to celebrating the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street reissue. Green Day popped the cork of the festivities with an amped up take on Rip This Joint.

The frenzied “Joint” is definitely the most punk rock song on Exile, and the trio gave the song a superfluous dose of batter and velocity, that in my opinion, took flight. Billie Joe Armstrong did a great job of keeping up with Mick Jagger’s original pulse, for he is a hard act to compete with. It seemed as if the boys had been singing the Stone’s for years.

In other news, both Green Day and The Rolling Stones are vying for the title of the greatest band logo of all time in a Gigwise poll.

It’s cool that television is recognizing timeless acts with devotion. Green Day are perhaps the concept of full-size time rockers having something to say about the world, and watching them cover other views is quite gripping. Whether a fan of The Stones, Green Day, Jimmy Fallon, or none of the above, it’s a cool vibe for all. A faithful performance in all detail, down to the lyrics we still can’t completely make out. ’Round and ’round and ’round we go.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Paramore frontrunner Hayley Williams recently covered the smash Bad Romance in a whole new light, and I must say, it’s the bomb. She’s more famous than peanut butter, and this video makes her look like an ordinary girl, yearnin’ for her vocals to be heard. I love a good remake, and this is so damn good!

I’m not here to praise the chick, we all know how great she is…just to provide you an awesome rendition of a smash hit. Hayley stated in an interview she loves the song, so hell, if ya like than you shoulda put a twist on it (Beyonce plug, holla). It’s scary beautiful; it’s raw, it’s uncut, and most importantly, it’s real. The firey-haired ball of energy has given me a new interpretation of the song. Paramore is a pop-punk flavored bank, and it’s nice to see the softer side.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Upon writing, I try to focus my energy on artists and their originality, but every once in a while copy-cat syndrome can be a juicy thing. This is the “go-green” age, so why not recycle a song by spinning it in a way that’s modern?

Big ups to Florence + The Machine for this charming rendition of the Robert Palmer classic Addicted to Love. Although a fan of Florence and her posse’s personal work, I can’t get this off of repeat. Normally if I heard this song on the radio, I’d most likely turn the dial; in this case, only thing to turn is the volume, higher.

Her voice is a machine, and although some may find the original hit a bit trite, this new rendition is epic, and improved drastically. Sometimes cover songs tend to catch a bad rap; even when our beloved artists record one, we usually last about two or three listens before ready to discover something original.

Florence + The Machine will definitely benefit from borrowing this material, for it showcases a completely new range and style. Hell, might as well face it: I’m addicted to it.

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Last night, right after AI (at 9:28PM to be specific), Glee’s four-month hiatus came to an end.

Between the Rolling Stone Cover, Fox Promos, “Gleeks” taking over Facebook/Twitter, and the cast appearing everywhere from the White House to the Oprah Winfrey Show, the premiere of the pop culture phenomenon hasn’t exactly been hush hush.

Before I rant on last night’s episode though, I must say shout out to JAYMA MAYS! The cute wide-eyed strawberry topped actress who got tongue twisted with Will Schuester last night, graduated from my skool (Radford University)! She’s also from Grundy, Virginia (which is a neighboring town in the middle of nowhere, near where I grew up), and it always makes me proud to see people from my neck of the woods doing something with their lives. Ok, now that I’m done being ghetto, I’ll continue…

So last night’s premiere was full of life lessons that I thought I should outline for your benefit, so get your pens ready for Glee 101:

Lesson #1: Dolphins are just gay sharks (come on, if you didn’t know this, you have no marine-dar)

Lesson #2: Some guys you thought were sweet can quickly become douchebags (when they only think with their trombones)

Lesson #3: Being the outcast in High School simply means you are destined for big things (or a drink in the face, which in some cultures probably means you are the shit)

Lesson #4: Music has the power to make you truly popular (where it counts, which is on the inside)

Lesson #5: There’s nothing better than a breakup revenge song (especially when you can perform it in front of the selfish jerk who took you for granted)

Now that your brain is drained from that strenuous academic lesson, I’ll feed your Glee-diction with the cast on Oprah, below.

By: Maria Ciezak
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

We all worry about what youngin’s will become tomorrow, yet we forget that they are someone today. No, I’m not talking about Lil Romeo, Lil Bow Wow, or Young Money. I’m raving about actual youth talent, and a group from a public school in Staten Island that keeps grabbing my attention: the PS22 Chorus.

They’re infamous for their YouTube videos, and rightfully so. Music is the magnet that holds this school together. These New Yorker’s sing the hell out of various songs from Lady Gaga, Journey, and even Rihanna. They even hit the studio to record with Passion Pit for their critically acclaimed album Manners. These clips made my heart melt like a popsicle on the fourth of July (yes, Little Rascals throwback).

Everyone starts somewhere, and the PS22 chorus could have our future grammy winners sitting in those auditorium seats. Everyone knows youth is not easy, with fighting, bad grades, and cruel kids; but the good thing about music is, when it hits you, you feel no pain.

Check out one of their singing sessions, and I promise your day will be a little better. Not only your daily dose of kick ass music, but your double-dosage of kick-ass kiddies!

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Someone get the record labels some Febreze, please!

Anyone with an ear can agree that TIK TOK is one catchy tune. I would be lying if I said I didn’t blast that diddy on repeat for a good month or two. But I’ve got to say, although I really like TIK TOK, I’m afraid the rest of Ke$ha’s debut did nothing for me. And duuude–what was up with her performance of BLAH BLAH BLAH (ft. 30h!3) last night on American Idol?! I felt like I might need a painkiller to get through it. With her screechy squeakster voice and her Indian headgear and flashing TVs, I was distracted and not amused whatsoever.

Living in New York, I meet some incredibly talented people, many in which I feel should have a record deal or an acting gig but they do not. Hell, I even see bums on the street with a trash can and a fork who seem to have more talent than half of the pop stars that are shoved down our throats each day on mainstream radio. Now, I love some good cheesy tunes, but at the end of the day I am tired of the crap. With the overexcess of “artists” who try way too hard with ridiculous giddups and phony attitudes, it’s all starting to severely stink.

Perhaps this is one reason why I find Crystal Bowersox downright refreshing. There’s no antics. No gimmicks needed, it’s just her and her guitar and a soul that’s been through the ringer a few times. Other than Crystal and a select one or two other contestants, this season feels very BLAH BLAH BLAH (pun intended) to me.

Check out someone who is never blah. The girl who will make you pee your pants: MIRANDA (and her cover of Tik Tok, below). Genius!

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

English R&B singer Craig David is back on the music scene with a fresh new single and an upcoming album entitled Signed Sealed Delivered. The project will feature David covering hits from the Motown era and giving them a modern twist. The whole idea of an entire album of Motown covers just seems off to me, but knowing David’s talent, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. Plus, I’m a sucker for an accent and nice lips when it’s on someone whose heart seems to be in the right place. David, when answering a fan’s question, proved this point when he said that above all, he just wants to be known as a good person. And that my friend, is way better than any amount of records he may or may not sell.

Check the clip, below.

Craig also appears on the cover of the new Big Issue (which for seventeen years since its inception, continues to offer homeless and vulnerably housed people the opportunity to earn an income).

By: Rob Brayl
For BiggerThanBeyonce.Com

Ellen: Was it just me or did the girls kinda blow chunks last night?
Ryan: [Stage Voice] This–IS–American Idol.
Ellen: Hello? Did you hear me?
Ryan: Sorry, I’m practicing for tonight. I want to be flawless.

I want to first say that all the girls are talented and beautiful and that I understand that it must be incredibly nerve-wracking to be on that stage, but when you’re on a mainstream show like Idol, you’d think they would put a little more creative thought into the entire process. I realize that original songs cannot be performed but you can be creative in other ways (IE the song choice, arrangement, and styling choices).

Speaking of original songs–I really admired Crystal Bowersox for stating on camera that the contestants aren’t allowed to sing original material. She, by the way, had the best performance, hands down. I really appreciate the genuine vibe and honest energy that she projects when she sings.

Another annoyance factor was when three girls sang a freakin’ Beatles song. Excuse me? B-O-R-I-N-G. I love the Beatles. They are iconic, but when you are trying to stand out on a show in front of millions of people, you don’t do a song that can even be remotely tied to any of your competitors. DUH!!! Sorry, I’m just a little bitter because so far, this season, the show just seems to be crap. Although I love Ellen, the chemistry with her and the other judges are not what it should be and there seems to be something missing amongst the panel–an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dotted Paula Abdul, perhaps?

In the world of pop music, it’s about the overall package–stage presence, commercial appeal, image, song choice. And even though Simon said it’s the girls’ year this year, after last night’s snoozefest, I’d have to disagree.

ANDREW GARCIA all the way (at least for now). Let’s hear it for the boys!

You can check out Andrew Garcia covering Paula Abdul’s Straight Up, below.