We Love Covers

Remixes or covers? I would pick covers anytime. Remixes are seriously getting out of hands nowadays, most popular tracks on Hype Machine have been remixes. They are literally everwhere that I really need to put on some ear plugs.

I came across some interesting covers lately. You know how a band with some indie credentials cover a pop song, and the guilty pleasure instantly becomes non-guilty? That's the case with the three covers below.

The Maccabees - Boom Boom Pow (Black Eyed Peas cover)
This one is nothing short of brilliance. Add on their signature buzzy guitars and Orlando Weeks' unique vocal, I got that boom boom pow, I like The Maccabees' style.

Maxïmo Park - Just Dance (Lady Gaga cover)
I have never been a fan of Lady Gaga, in fact I am repelled by her self-claimed originality whereas everything about her has been done before , she just put them all together like a patchwork, somehow it works for her, well at least the masses buy it. Now I can listen to this version complete with Paul Smith's alluring voice, I would be more put off when I hear the original on radio again.

Franz Ferdinand - Womanizer (Britney Spears)
Well I prefer the All American Rejects cover of this song, but everyone has probably heard that version already. Alex Kapranos did the song justice, but it seemed like he was struggling to be on keys. To begin with it was a well-written pop song, this is a pretty decent cover.

All Kind Words

The Maccabees were always a little bit more than a pigeonholed indie rock band from Brighton/London, like I have said here before when the lads debuted two years ago with the so damn fine 'Colour It In'.

The free download 'No Kind Words' prior to the release already gave us an insight into the band's second offering which is much more carefully crafted and complex than the light-hearted debut. The much anticipated sophomore 'Wall of Arms' has been released on 4th May. As always, the buzzy guitars, quirky lyrics and Orlando Weeks' unique voice are well intact, a welcome familiarity amongst new ground.

As I gave this a couple spins and not skipped a track, soon realised gone are the playful, youthful vibe and lust in 'Toothpaste Kisses', the single that most people know them for. They are replaced with a darker and atmospheric sound unveiled under layers of propulsive guitar and anthemic arm-in-air chants. Despite the shift in tone, these are still perfectly structured pop songs, the essence that made me fell in love with The Maccabees years ago in their short career. I believe people will catch on to this prime indie pop soon enough that you regret for letting this slip now.

The Maccabees - Wall Of Arms
The Maccabees - Seventeen Hands