COVER FEST #2.

So I'm too lazy to sleep and instead I like to blog. Right. Tomorrow morning I will wake up looking like I was an extra on the Walking Dead.

Here are some lovely covers that have probably circulated round the Internet more times than I've woken up half dead.

Too Close - Shannon Saunders (Alex Clare cover)

This is a great song per se. But the way Shannon sings it makes it seem even more raw and yet nuanced and you can tell she's got great control over her voice. The guitar gets a bit boring but I frankly do not care because she's brilliant.

Hey Ya! - Sarah Blasko (OutKast cover)

Now this has been recycled around triple j and iPods everywhere but that doesn't make it any less bad at all. It's a wonderfully stripped back cover of that hilarious track and Sarah's voice could make even Nicholas Sparks sound good.
Sarah is a really great artist, both songwriting and singing and you should really check out her stuff. But here is an example of her brilliant innovation and epic singing voice.

Treasure - Sound Of Seasons (Bruno Mars cover)

This is a pretty cool track by itself (what's cooler than being cool? ICE COLD wait wrong song) yet these guys somehow manage to make it even more awesome. I went to one of their gigs and it was such a great night. They're hilarious and full of energy. I might feature some of their stuff actually and not to mention their merch is spectacularly cheap and I think they're awesome. I really should feature them actually...
Oh I'm not bothered to write full analysis of the songs because I'm tired and how do you even analyse a cover really

Heartbeats - José González (The Knife cover)

This cover of the song is much more well known than the original because it's generally a little more accessible - it's a wonderfully acoustic cover and when the bass notes of the guitar ring you melt a little inside. The lyrical content is so intimate and beautiful but José's delivery is spot on - it's not mumbled but definitely not spat out. It's like honest, reluctant whisperings. And his guitar playing/arranging has really just hit the nail on the head.
Actually José is quite well known for his covers of not as known songs so everyone thinks it's his song (LIKE SKINNY LOVE AND BON IVER AND BIRDY don't get me started if you even think about it I will hunt you down and eat your yoghurt. And I like yoghurt.)

And also he did a really sweet song with Ane Brun called 'Worship' which is on her album.

There's tonight's... TODAY'S COVER FEST I should sleep. K bye.

 

FAVOURITE THINGS.

The other day my friends were asked who their favourite superhero was, what their favourite songs were and all these other favourite things and preferences.

I'll answer five of these.

1. Favourite superhero?

Gwen Tennyson from Ben 10. She is a LEGEND. I've always kinda liked Ben 10 more than the Marvel characters mainly because it's so much easier to follow and less dramatically charged and hilarious when Ben changes into the wrong alien.
Gwen's boyfriend Kevin E. Levin is pretty epic too. The fact that Gwen is also an Anodite made her awesome. And her hair! She's like Hayley Williams but more awesome.

2. Favourite song?

Knowing me, I have no favourite song. That's like asking me which is my favourite finger.
Let's pick five.

• Never Run Away - Kurt Vile (check previous post)

I would give my description/praise of this song, but I already did. But I'll say that he sounds like a Beck a lot. And I love it.

• While We're Young - Pegasus Bridge

I did a short review of the band before in a previous post as well. Ok. Maybe not a review.
This song is my favourite by these guys - it was written way before YOLO so it's ok with them saying While We're Young. No need to bring out the guns.
It's catchy, has a good melody and is a heck of a lot of fun to dance to.

• Words - Ane Brun

Already mentioned here. Hm. Same blog post as the other two songs :/ it's truly beautiful.

• Kill The Director - The Wombats

These guys are the best. I loved them first.
Their lyrics are quirky, witty, and somewhat introspective. Their latest album (well, 2011) was so subtle and understated and mature, but their debut (which this song is from, 2008?) is energetic, lively and a lot of fun. Any song with the lyrics 'If this is a rom-com, kill the director' is a good one.

• Hands - Alpine

These guys are so fresh. They sound almost minty.
I don't know how to put it into words - they're music sounds crisp, clean and perfect. It's like standing in a white room. Not blank, but it's all light and airy and wonderful. The clean guitars perfectly match the high, ethereal vocals which travel from dissonance to haunting melodies in seconds. It's beautiful.
Actually, they were originally called Swiss, which would suit them perfectly as well.
They're Australian, which makes them that little bit more satisfying. Knowing that you're supporting local acts makes me happy :)

3. Favourite food/cuisine?

I like Mediterranean food.
There's this show on TV where this man goes around the Mediterranean to all these countries like Tunisia and Greece and he cooks all this food and it looks amazing. I love olives. Mediterranean just has such unique flavours and scents and visual appeal - it's invigorating.

I also adore Japanese food - its simplicity and the mastery of these simple things just make it all amazing. Udon is a very good idea in winter.

4. Favourite book?

This one's tough. I really like dystopian novels and sci-fi but those really psychological and symbolic books are some of the best I think. There's nothing quite as satisfying as reading a book that makes you think.
A book I love is Brave New World by Aldous Huxley - classic, and rightfully so. I suggest you go read it if you haven't already. And The Lord of the Rings. And The Great Gatsby.
I do love YA fiction - The Hunger Games, The Selection, Divergent, Delirium, The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices, Matched and all that jazz.
There are some books that I am dying to read, like House of Leaves by Mark Danielewski. Or Lord of the Flies (yes I know I should most definitely read it.)

5. Favourite colour?

Favourite colour. Ah, the bane of quiz takers everywhere. This is the hated question.
I would ask people to guess my favourite colour, but since the only reader of this blog is me (if you do read, please leave a comment! Please?! So I know you exist!), I am just going to say my favourite colour is mint.


UTTER PERFECTION, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

I love everything mint. The colour, flavour, scent. Also helped by my love of Alpine - they're pretty minty.
I also love Dr. Martens shoes. So those shoes are now my life.


So there's some of my favourite things!

MUSIC HAUL #2

It occurred to me that this blog may end up 80% music, considering that I find great new music on a pretty much daily basis.

So I've pretty much decided to do another Music Haul. If anyone actuallllllllly reads this blog, then you'll get a whole heap of music. Great.

1. Words - Ane Brun

Words just can't describe this song. It's one of those that isn't sad, but more nostalgic. It makes you feel sad and happy and excited and calm and a bit like a river or something. Or a really old tree. In a good way.
"this song makes me feel like a tree". wonderful.

But it just cuts down through everything and the video doesn't outweigh it or fall short. They work together really well. And when I watch it I don't know whether to cry or smile or just nod. So I just listen, like you most definitely should.

Also I don't know what's on his arm. Maybe it's in a different language - Ane is Norwegian. (I actually speak a tiny bit of Norwegian from a few friends I have over there.)

2. Ribena - Pegasus Bridge.

When I first heard this band, they immediately became my obsession. So you will understand how upset I was when I found out the broke up. BROKE UP!!!

I really don't like it when good bands break up - things just seem so great and then BAM! your life is over.

This song is so cool - the lyrics are catchy, the beat rocks and Ed Turner's vocals are perfect. The whole album is great, so if you like this song, leave this blog, buy the album and then come back to read the rest of the post.

This song is a dose of awesomeness. You should've bought the album by now.

3. Never Run Away - Kurt Vile

Kurt has a pretty cool name. And a real knack for music.

The song itself is pretty catchy - I really like the chords at the beginning. They're a bit offchops, like Kurt, but in a good way. I think he could be one of America's new iconic singer-songwriters. He often writes in jagged time signatures and whatever but it works.
Kurt's voice is rather amazing and so is his vinyl collection:

I'm really excited for his new album - two days! WOOOOOOOO

And his daughter is just so adorabubble. And they have matching outfits.

That's it for this Music Haul - I have so many great songs but if no one reads this or if people just get bored I won't put more than three songs on. Ever.

Keep it classy, or the consequences will never be the same.