La banda de pop sueca The Cardigans se formó en el año 1992 y alcanzó popularidad a nivel mundial en 1996 cuandó editó su tercer disco, First Band On The Moon, que incluyó la canción Lovefool, que representa hasta la fecha el mayor éxito en la carrera de la agrupación nórdica.

The Cardigans obtuvo muy buena repercusión con su siguiente álbum, Gran Turismo, donde se puede encontrar el hit My Favourite Game, pero no así con los que vinieron después, Long Gone Before Daylight, de 2003, y Super Extra Gravity, de 2005.

Actualmente, la vocalista de la banda, Nina Persson, se encuentra más avocada a su proyecto paralelo, una banda que se llama A Camp y que este año sacó a la venta su segundo disco. La última noticia de The Cardigans fue una recopilación de grandes éxitos que se editó en 2008 y por ahora no hay indicios que permitan suponer una nueva reunión.

Los dejamos disfrutar de Lovefool…

Más bandas que se perdieron en lontananza…

Modjo

Fool’s Garden

Blind Melon

Bloodhound Gang

4 Non Blondes

Eiffel 65

Aqua

The New Radicals

Lou Bega

Nina Persson.

Nina Persson (Lead singer of The Cardigans and A Camp).

View It Larger Here.

  P3 Populär tar hjälp av lyssnarna för att lista 00-talets bästa svenska låt. Första omgången ska man välja ut 10 av 200 låtar. Det är svårt. Verkligen jättesvårt. Försök själv här.

Jag satt länge med min lista. Beslutsångest, nostalgi och värdighet bråkade med varandra. Tillslut lyckades jag göra alla tre sidor nöjda. Listan går i bokstavsordning. Jag gillar att Ola och Silverbullit kom så nära varandra på listan. Kontrasten är stor, men båda låtarna lika älskade. På sitt sätt…

1. Broder Daniel  When we were winning
2. Caesars Palace  Over for it started
3. Cardigans You’re The Storm
4. Håkan Hellström  För en lång lång tid
5. Håkan Hellström  Känn ingen sorg för mig Göteborg
6. Jens Lekman You are the light  
7. José Gonzalez Crosses
8. Ola  Natalie    
9. Silverbullit Run
10. The Soundtrack of our lives Sister surround

This morning has felt tired and contemplative – stumbled upon (notice I stumble rather a lot – this isn’t just virtually, I’m a clumsy b*stard at the best of times, it’s charming apparently. Painful more like. Woops, tangent…) The Cardigans album’ Long Gone Before Daylight on a Spotify playlist that basically seems to be compilation of musical snapshots of my life from over many many years.

I’ll spare you the gory details but I was given Long Gone Before Daylight by a friend at the time. I say friend, he was basically the other half of a big old Web Of Dysfunction for 4 years or so and with hindsight, listening to the lyrics, middle of the road though it is, being given that album on my birthday spoke volumes about an unbelievably sad situation. Hang on, edit out the melodrama, it was a wholly believably sad situation that plenty of people go through every sodding day – I guess what I realise now is that I had a soundtrack to that sadness and that’s what scratches a bit.

Needless to say, I don’t listen to that album very often. It’s not painful anymore, especially after when I randomly played it on the shared stereo at work a couple of years ago and my colleague lacerated it within seconds with the words “What’s this? Sounds like the music from a tampon commercial”. Yeah, suddenly The Cardigans didn’t feel quite so deep.

We were just going to a b-day cocktail, having a drink or two meanwhile looking at the exhibition but the mission failed. We ended up, five cocktails later, walking around the whole town searching for more party but it seemed that we were the only ones.  Tonight we’ll try again, wish us luck.

I stared into the light
To kill some of my pain
It was all in vain
Cause no senses remain

Hoy les regalare las ultimas 3 rolas que ha tocado iTunes.

Erase-Rewind “The Cardigans”

My mind is dangerous “Life of agony”

Help I’m Alive (Acoustic) “Metric”

Por cierto ya tengo boletos para el concierto de Metric del 2 de Diciembre.

In this song the writer has clearly screwed up her life but pledges that she will learn from her mistakes.  At the end of the day, no lesson is learned.  Basically making the point that sometimes, no matter how hard we try, we are going to keep making the same mistakes.  She also makes reference to some of the societal biases with respect to men and women…”a lady in need is guilty indeed”.

I find comfort in this song because I have some flaws that I just cannot get a grip on and even though I am aware of them, I keep letting these flaws show their ugly face and thus I keep making the same mistakes.

Listen to “Live and Learn” on Rhapsody

Lyrics:

I came home in the morning
And everything was gone
Oh what have I done
I dropped dead in the hallway
Cursing the dawn
Oh come on sun
Why must I burn
I’m just trying to learn

I stared into the light
To kill some of my pain
It was all in vain
Cause no senses remain
But an ache in my body
And regret on my mind
But I’ll be fine

Cause I live and I learn
Yes I live and I learn
If you live you will learn
I live and I learn

Got kicked in the head
So I started a fight
Cause I knew I was right
But I learned I was wrong
I remember a slaughter
I remember I fought
For the money I brought
I got blistered and burned
And lost what I earned

But I live and I learn
Yes I live and I learn

I got, I got it now
She’s got, She’s got it now

I came to one a corner
With some help from a man and goddamn
I don’t seem to have learned
That a lady in need is guilty indeed
So I paid and got laid in return
And I don’t know what I’ve learned

Well you get what you give
And hell yes I lived
But if you live as you learn
I don’t think I’d be learned
Oh with the sun in my eyes
Surprise, I’m living a life
But I don’t seem to learn
No I don’t think I can learn

Mojave 3 – Love Songs On The Radio (Ask me tomorrow)

The Cardigans – For Whati it’s worth (Long Gone Before Daylight)

Bon Iver – Skinny love (For Emma, Forever Ago)

Stereophonics – Maybe Tomorrow (You Gotta Go There to Come Back)


Belle and Sebastian – Like Dylan In the Movies (If You’re Feeling Sinister)

Si no queréis ver los vídeos, si pincháis sobre los títulos podéis escucharlas por espotifai Spotify. De nada, os he conseguido un plan zalamero y empalagoso a todos los que tengáis pareja.

Photo by Melanie Einzig

On Friday, December 11th, New Haven’s Firehouse 12 will present the penultimate event of its fifth annual Fall Jazz Series, a two-set celebration of New York-based vocalist/composer Amy Cervini’s latest release, Lovefool (Orange Grove Jazz/ANZIC Records). The record, her second with the Amy Cervini Quartet (ACQ), features distinctive arrangements of an eclectic mix of love-themed songs from The Cardigans, Blossom Dearie, Depeche Mode, Green Day, Fred Hersch, Jack Johnson and Willie Nelson among others. This performance, featuring pianist Michael Cabe, bassist Mark Lau and drummer Ernest Cervini, will be the third and final stop on the group’s East Coast tour.

Critics have credited Ms. Cervini with a “freshly appealing voice” (Geoff Chapman, Toronto Star) and “enough heart to convince a listener of her sincerity and enough musical talent to make it worth listening” (Bob Karlovits, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review). The Ottawa Citizen’s Doug Fischer adds, “what she does is sing terrific, gimmick-free jazz…with poise, intelligence and an unforced honesty that made every song ring like it was her own. Despite the sweeping changes—perhaps because of them—Cervini approaches the songs in a precisely crafted way that leaves little to chance. But that doesn’t mean her music doesn’t contain surprises, like an unforeseen upturn in a phrase, a deliciously drawn out ending or a humorous vamp.”

A native of Canada, and graduate of Boston’s New England Conservatory, Ms. Cervini has lived and worked in New York for most of the past decade, regularly performing at such venues as 55 Bar, Birdland, Cornelia Street Café, The Jazz Standard and Joe’s Pub. In addition to her quartet, she is a member of ensembles including Couples Therapy, Jazz Country, Monday Off and Joseph C. Phillips, Jr.’s Numinous. She has also worked as a back-up singer with the group Pharaoh’s Daughter and recently paid tribute to Blossom Dearie with an all-star band at The Blue Note. By day, Ms. Cervini is the proprietor of Orange Grove Artists, which represents Marty Ehrlich, Frank Kimbrough, Myra Melford and Matt Wilson among others. Learn more at http://www.amycervini.com

2009 Fall Jazz Series Schedule:

09/18 :: Brandon Ross & Blazing Beauty
09/25 :: Matt Wilson Quartet
10/02 :: Mauger: Rudresh Mahanthappa/Mark Dresser/Gerry Hemingway
10/09 :: Steve Lehman Trio
10/16 :: Gretchen Parlato Band
10/23 :: Whirrr! The Music of Jimmy Giuffre
10/30 :: Taylor Eigsti Trio
11/06 :: ODE: Larry Ochs/Trevor Dunn/Lisle Ellis/Michael Sarin
11/13 :: The Peter Evans Quartet
11/20 :: Darius Jones Trio
12/04 :: Mary Halvorson Quintet
12/11 :: Amy Cervini Quartet
12/18 :: Daniel Levin Trio

Tickets and more information available at:
http://firehouse12.com/performance_space_calendar.asp

Whenever i listen to this track i feel like jumping around like a little kid surrounded by butterflies ..

*Lalalaaalaaaa tootooo*

The Cardigans – Your New Cuckoo

O carro

Chevrolet El Camino

O Chevrolet El Camino foi um cupê utilitário construído pela Chevrolet nos Estados Unidos de 1959 a 1960, com a retomada da produção em 1964 e continuado até 1987. Produzido em resposta ao sucesso do rival Ford Ranchero, era baseado no Chevrolet Chevelle, embora na América do Norte, o veículo é classificado como um caminhão (truck).

De 1978 a 1987, o El Camino foi vendido em quatro modelos: O Super Sport, The Black Knight, A Conquista, e o básico, ele também tinha outros nomes (GMC Sprint e GMC Caballero a partir de 1974 em diante). No México era conhecido como Chevrolet Conquistador.

Em 1969 foi lançado uma versão de alta performance (Super Sport 396) foi lançado junto com o Chevelle, e eram muito semelhantes, em 1970 ele foi lançado ainda mais forte, e por algum tempo era conhecido por possuir o maior motor da linha Chevrolet.

Porem em 1971 foi reduzida sua potência e seu desempenho, juntamente com o restante da linha, graças a alta da gasolina e o controle das emissões, a único mudança sutil foram os faróis duplos em 1971, e a grade, desde essa época as vendas caíram muito e sua saída do mercado aconteceu em 1987.

A musica

My Favourite Game-The Cardigans

Hoje vamos falar sobre uma musica conhecida de viciados em “Gran Turismo 2”, a banda é The Cardigans e a música escolhida foi “My Favorite Game”.

A banda foi criada em 1992 embora tenha começado a fazer sucesso somente em 1994 com o lançamento do single “Rise and Shine” e logo depois assinaram contrato para a gravação de seu primeiro CD.

A música de hoje é o tema do jogo “Gran Turismo 2”, e está presente no albúm “Gran Turismo”.

A comparação

Depois que eu vi esse clipe, sempre que ouço essa musica vem a minha cabeça, eu sei que o El Camino não é o carro do vídeo, mas eu lembro dele…

Em baixo está o video do inico do gram turismo, que apareçe essa musica.

Por Nando Ortiz e Rafa GM.

Well.

Today we delve into the realm of popular music. Or, to be slightly more accurate, music that was briefly very popular, but is now an embarassment to the very idea of sound – yet somehow, still remains AWESOME.

Which brings me to today’s list – Thirteen Guilty Pleasure Songs You Hate to Love. (Or Love to Hate.)

Thirteen: The Sign. (Ace of Base.)

Ah, 1993. A simpler time. A time before balloon boys and black presidents and lady gagas ran amok, choking our nightly news with the same tenacity as a green Jolly Rancher in a child’s throat. And the non-grunge soundtrack to that bygone era would no doubt be peppered with plenty – puh-lenty – Ace of Base.

It what pretty much came down to a coin toss, I went with “The Sign” over “All That She Wants.” Both are maddeningly catchy  pop anthems from the early nineties, but I suppose it will truly be “The Sign” that this weird, and oddly sexy, Swedish band will be remembered for.

And nothing else.

Twelve: Stay (I Missed You). (Lisa Loeb.)

One year after Ace of Base broke into North American homes, depositing their sugary sweet sound into teenage ears like some weird Swedish Santa Claus, a local girl with trendy glasses also made a bit of an impact.

Let’s face it…if you were a dude in the early nineties old enough to understand the basic differences between men and women – you had a thing for Lisa Loeb. Her girl-next-door image, her sweet voice, her awesome pre-Tina Fey eye gear…this girl was all that. Just ask Ethan Hawke.

And while her big hit single “Stay” may not neccessarily be a guilty pleasure for the feminine set, I often get strange looks from people whilst blaring it from the speakers of my Toyota Tercel while driving.

Though it may just be because I’m wearing those wicked glasses.

Eleven: Toxic. (Britney Spears.)

Say what you will about Brit – and there’s a lot to say, I’m sure – this song kicks ASS. From the offbeat synth/violin riff to the onbeat sweet percussion, this is a song full of hooks that gets under your skin and into the meat of your brain no matter how embarassed you might feel listening to a damn Britney Spears track.

Oh, and the video, like most of Brit’s visual work, is also something of a guilty pleasure. At least, I always feel strangely guilty three or four minutes after watching it…

Ten: Lovefool. (The Cardigans.)

While the opening choppy guitar may be reminiscent of Television’s “Elevation” (not to be confused with U2’s “Elevation”, which is neither as good as the Television song, nor as catchy as “Lovefool”) this song nevertheless reamains a remarkably potent pop nugget. Made famous for it’s appearance in Baz Lurhman’s “Romeo & Juliet” MTV “opus,” it became a pretty big hit for this Swedish band, and the mere mention of it too this day still get’s her bizarrely accented voice stuck in my head.

Interesting that this is the second Swedish band to make the list – though not the last. Which brings me to….

Nine: Anything by ABBA. (ABBA.)

Even if you change your mind, they’ll still be first in line. North America took a chance on Sweden’s ABBA, and by gumption, they stepped up to the challenge – delivering pop tunes so sweet that they gave our ears cavities, sending us all rushing to our dentists. Or ear doctors. Well, whoever you would see about damaged ear enamel.

“Take a Chance on Me,” “Mamma Mia,” “Waterloo,” “Dancing Queen” – the hits didn’t stop. Even today they’re still making musicals and movies based on ABBA’s long gone career. Catchy as hell, these are songs that everyone seems to know the words too – but of course, would never be caught dead singing them out loud.

Eight: Fields of Gold. (Sting.)

What do you get when you combine a peaceful melody, lush production and a friggin’ lute?

Sting, of course.

Let’s go back a bit. To, say…1979. When Sting was considered “cool”. Here was a white Englishman fronting the world’s biggest and coolest reggae band…and, let’s face it, one of the biggest bands in the world. Then the band broke up, and the other two dudes from “The Police” kind of just disappeared. This was the coming – the hearkening, if you will – of Solo Sting.

Not content to just sing and play bass anymore, Sting decided to add a few new weapons to his arsenal. The guitar. The piano. And THE LUTE.

And then you get “Fields of Gold” a gentle, yet delicate song that transcends beauty in every pluck of the lute string. But, it’s by Sting, so I’m not allowed to like it.

Quick crib note for anyone paying attention: listening to “The Police” = COOL. Listening to Sting = NOT SO MUCH.

Sorry, Sting.

Seven: Invisible Touch. (Genesis.)

“She seems to have an invisible touch, YEAH!

She reaches in and grabs right hold of your heart!”

And, with those words, Phil Collins single-handedly destroyed the legacy that was Genesis, forcing Peter Gabriel to go all solo and weird.

But damn if it ain’t catchy.

Six: The Power of Love. (Huey Lewis and the News.)

Let’s get one thing out of the way. Huey Lewis is not cool. Huey Lewis will never be cool. Huey Lewis is the opposite of cool, and the News is just there to reiterate the fact. Having said that…

“The Power of Love” IS cool. Granted, it had the good fortune of appearing in a film (“Back to the Future”) that was and shall always be cool (despite featuring Huey Lewis in a cameo acting – wait for it – uncool) but that doesn’t detract from the fact that this song is an anomaly. It shouldn’t be cool – all power chords and inane lyrics- but it damn well is. Maybe it’s just because I associate it with skateboarding and time travel and Michael J. Fox…all cool, by the way. Whatever it is, it is what it is.

Cool.

Five: Kiss From a Rose. (Seal.)

Another soundtrack song makes the list, and, like “The Power of Love”, maybe I just have fond memories of it due to its association with BATMAN. Albeit, in one of the worst Batman outings ever. It’s grandiose and corny and peppered with stupid lines like “but did you know/when it snows/my eyes become large and the light that you shine can be seen” which is barely even coherent. Whatever though – it was in a BATMAN movie, and Seal could and still can emote like no other. And, since I’m sure this song had at least something to do with his hooking up with Heidi Klum, I can only assume that it’ll work the same for me. Karaoke, here I come!

Four: Karaoke Songs. (Various, but mostly Journey and Bon Jovi.)

Karaoke, here I am!

This entry is less about the act of karaoke as it is about the songs people choose to karaoke with. Songs that you would never find yourself listening to at  home alone, or possibly even at a party, but dump a few cocktails down your throat and throw in a creepy dude with a microphone and songbook on hand, and suddenly you’re singing every damn lyric without even glancing at the screen.

“Living on a Prayer” and “Don’t Stop Believing” are usually the most well documented. For instance:

Yeah. Just like that.

Three: It’s All Coming Back To Me Now. (Celine Dion.)

This is what happens when you give Celine Dion a Meatloaf inspired song attached to a Meatloaf inspired theatrical video:

And it’s AWESOME.

Two: Do You Really Want To Hurt Me. (Culture Club.)

“The Wedding Singer” may have helped this one, but whatever. This song was ALWAYS awesome. It’s a weird song (to say the least) that should probably come off as horrendously creepy, but somehow Boy George manages to sell it legitimately. Nowadays however, with Boy George’s recent drug woes and wrongful imprisonment of male escorts (seriously), the song has achieved a darker tone, and has finally reached its destiny of being the weirdly creepy song we all knew it could be!

One: The Rose. (Bette Midler.)

I’ll let this one speak for itself:

“Some say love it is a river
that drowns the tender reed
Some say love it is a razor
that leaves your soul to bleed

Some say love it is a hunger
an endless aching need
I say love it is a flower
and you it’s only seed

It’s the heart afraid of breaking
that never learns to dance
It’s the dream afraid of wakingthat never takes the chance
It’s the one who won’t be taken
who cannot seem to give
and the soul afraid of dyingthat never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely
and the road has been too long
and you think that love is only
for the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winterfar beneath the bitter snows
lies the seed
that with the sun’s love
in the spring
becomes the rose”

Was anybody else singing along while reading that? Because god knows I was.

And I honestly don’t even feel that guilty about this one.

Well.

That is that. Stay tuned for more blog updates, where I hopefully discuss good music.

Although, seriously…some of these count.

Also, if any of these songs are now stuck in your head – or, god forbid, if ALL of them are stuck in your head, battling it out for supreme annoyingness – I personally shoulder none of the blame.

I originally planned to follow-up my introductory post with a weekend report of my first super 8 project. That has since been delayed at least a week thanks to the film I ordered being “returned to sender.” Oh well. C’est la vie. Suffice it to say that my Halloween was still adventurous and semi-productive. Even if it was more like an eleven-year-old’s version of a “good time” (bike riding, exploring, music, etc).

Nonetheless, school is back. And my nightly/very late trips to the library are, once again, in full swing. Today I drafted (for what feels like the 4th time) an essay for English. And like the addition of caffeine, a good writing session requires some good music. Nothing too distracting or crazy. Just something light enough to work through, maybe mouth along to. I’ve often found that the experience with a song or album is enhanced when played over and over again while trying to conquer writer’s block or something similar. Then there’s that oh-so rewarding trip back to the dorm (what is better than chilly Houston nights?) when the music is repeated and it just sounds a thousands times better.

I can’t remember if the drive back from the Sarasota Medieval Festival was the first time I had heard Oasis. But I do remember sitting in the back seat of Mrs. Idelson’s car, staring down at my wax hand mold, hardened into the shape of a peace sign and crumbling at the base. And “Wonderwall” was playing. 

I can’t remember if “1979″ by The Smashing Pumpkins reminded me of my babysitter because she was born in 1979, or if she reminded me of the song because I had just listened to it on a cassette tape in her car. But I do remember staring up at the telephone lines as we rolled down the street towards my neighborhood, filing through all her other tapes in a large bin. “Kids in America” was written in green pen on one.

I can’t remember sneaking into Romeo + Juliet, or if we chickened out at the last minute. But I do remember buying The Cardigans’ First Band on the Moon album the day after I saw it, and bringing it into art class, we were making paper mache that week, and one boy named Jerry asked to sit next to me. “The only guy for me is Leonardo Dicaprio,” I responded.  

I can’t remember why we called each other names on the basketball court at P.E. or stopped being friends, but I do remember singing “Killing Me Softly” by The Fugees in drama class before everything fell to pieces, while we sat in the entrance to the theater, on that cold floor, in Airwalks, plaid skirts and baby tees, in the land before time, as pre-teens, when we had grown up on backyard birthday parties, swimming pools, and jelly shoes, just before we all grew up, and I left.

This is the first of two mixes prepared by Any Major Dude With Half A Heart, whose music blog lives HERE, concentrating on the physiognomy of the head theme.

1. Aztec Camera – Head Is Happy (Heart’s Insane)
2. Crowded House – Pineapple Head (live)
3. Johnny Cash – Mean Eyed Cat
4. The Dillards – I’ve Just Seen A Face
5. The Holmes Brothers – Smiling Face Hiding A Weeping Heart
6. Paul Anka – Eyes Without A Face
7. The Undisputed Truth – Smiling Faces Sometimes
8. Justine Washington – I Can’t Wait Until I See My Baby’s Face
9. The Flamingos – I Only Have Eyes For You
10. Mississippi Sheikhs – I’ve Got Blood in My Eyes For You
11. Robert Mitchum – Mama Looka Boo Boo (Shut Your Mouth-Go Away)
12. Emile Ford & the Checkmates – Them There Eyes
13. Lewis Taylor – Blue Eyes
14. Andrew Bird – A Nervous Tic Motion Of The Head To The Left
15. Nada Surf – The Way You Wear Your Head
16. The Sweet – The Lies In Your Eyes
17. Ben Folds – Doctor My Eyes
18. Josh Ritter – One More Mouth
19. Kaki King – Saving Days In A Frozen Head
20. The Lilac Time – The Darkness Of Her Eyes
21. Thomas Dybdahl – Pale Green Eyes
22. Ryan Adams – Halloweenhead
23. The Cardigans – Give Me Your Eyes

Download

Justine Washington is better known as Baby Washington; this is the original version of the song covered to good effect by Dusty Springfield.

Another lot of songs on the theme of heads (and other bodyparts) is on the So Much Beauty Out There blog, including songs by Etta James, Florence Ballard, Françoise Hardy, Serge Gainsbourg, Sparklehorse, Herman Düne, Lou Reed & John Cale, Palace Brothers, and much more.

O cantor pop australiano Justin Bieber de apenas 15 anos regravou um clássico pop da década de 90, da banda The Cardignas. A música Love me foi retirada do famoso refrão da música Lovefool da banda The Cardigans

Justin Bieber participava de competições musicais na Austrália, onde foi descoberto e levado para os Estados Unidos. Apadrinhado por Usher, o cantor teen lançou seu primeiro single One time, que virou hit nas rádios norte-americanas.

Ouça a música  Love Me, cujo o refrão foi retirado de Lovefool, dos Cardigans:

Eu tenho uma paixão nada secreta por versões de músicas. Acho interessante ver como outros artistas interpretam determinadas canções. Recentemente, inspirado pelo texto da minha amiga Thais Kuzman (no site Colherada Cultural) sobre regravações interessantes de artistas, resolvi explorar essas músicas que tanto me atraem.

Muitos artistas escolhem músicas bastante inusitadas para fazer covers e versões, o que acaba mostrando, também, as diferentes influências em suas carreiras. Por exemplo, é difícil imaginar uma banda que mistura Death Metal, Metalcore e Prog Metal (Between the Buried and Me) tocando covers como Counting Crows (Colorblind) e Blind Melon (Change). Nestes dois casos, a banda não “transformou” as músicas para se adequar ao estilo da banda. Mas, eles trouxeram uma nova interpretação às canções, mostrando toda a qualidade de seus músicos.

Com isso tudo dito, eu apresento algumas das versões de músicas que eu gosto. Já aviso que este é um post que deverá ter novas partes pois, ao começar a escrevê-lo, reparei que deixei muita coisa boa de fora! Então, vejam algumas das versões que recomendo:

Johnny Cash – Hurt
Versão original: Nine Inch Nails

Johnny Cash expõe suas dores em "Hurt", um dos últimos singles de sua carreira.

Esta canção foi uma das últimas gravações deste grande artista country, presente no último álbum que lançou em vida. Hurt, originalmente do Nine Inch Nails, ganha bastante força na voz de Cash. É curioso notar como a letra – que faz referências a dor, uso de drogas e à perda de pessoas queridas –, uma das mais fortes letra de Trent Reznor, se encaixa perfeitamente à vida de Cash. Dessa forma, o artista conseguiu interpretar a canção de uma forma muito pessoal, conseguindo até mesmo apropriar-se dela. Hurt também tem um vídeo-clipe, com tomadas de Cash tocando a música na casa em que viveu seus últimos 30 anos, além de imagens de arquivo de toda a vida do artista.

Trent Reznor tornou-se um grande fã da versão que Cash fez de sua música e, até mesmo, comentou que:

I pop the video in, and wow… Tears welling, silence, goose-bumps… Wow. [I felt like] I just lost my girlfriend, because that song isn’t mine anymore… It really made me think about how powerful music is as a medium and art form. I wrote some words and music in my bedroom as a way of staying sane, about a bleak and desperate place I was in, totally isolated and alone. [Somehow] that winds up reinterpreted by a music legend from a radically different era/genre and still retains sincerity and meaning — different, but every bit as pure.

(Alternative Press, nº 194. Setembro de 2004)

Punk Goes 80's

Punk Goes…

Uma fonte de ótimas versões é, sem dúvida alguma, a série Punk Goes…, da gravadora Fearless Records. Nesta série, bandas de gêneros ligados ao punk (em sua maioria pop-punk, post-hardcore e alternative rock) gravam músicas de artistas de algum tema específico. Duas das minhas versões favoritas se encontram no álbum Punk Goes 80’s.

Gatsbys American Dream – Just Like Heaven
Versão original: The Cure

Gatsbys American Dream escolheram a canção do The Cure para gravar na coletânea.

Quando eu vi pela primeira vez que o Gatsby’s gravaria Just Like Heaven, já tinha certeza que seria muito boa. Just Like Heaven é minha música favorita do The Cure e Gatsbys é uma das bandas mais interessantes que surgiu nos últimos anos. Essa combinação não tinha como dar errado.

A declaração de amor que Robert Smith escreveu para sua então namorada ganha ainda mais mistério e emoção com a bateria quebrada e as diversas camadas sonoras que a banda adicionou. A música original foi eleita commo uma das 50 melhores canções de amor de todos os tempos pela revista Entertainment Weekly e é uma das canções que mostra o lado alegre do cantor da banda.

Midtown – Your Love
Versão original: The Outfield

Midtown se separou em 2005, mas deixou uma boa impressão. (Frances Roberts/The New York Times)

Midtown é uma banda que sempre fez questão de mostrar sua grande influência de hard rock e rock clássico, entre suas canções pop-punks, buscando um diálogo entre os dois estilos. Para esta versão, o grupo procurou fazer o mesmo, mesclar seu estilo com um toque do pop-rock que marca a canção original, adaptando-a aos anos 2000.

A própria escolha da Your Love já é bastante interessante. The Outfield pode ser considerado um “one-hit-wonder”, pois dificilmente ouve-se falar de outra música da banda que não seja esta. Contudo, esta é uma canção com a cara dos anos 80, que esbarra um pouco no rock de arena que era extremamente popular na época. A letra fala sobre um homem que tem um caso enquanto sua namorada está de férias.

O mais interessante da versão do Midtown é que ela consegue ser fiel à versão original e ao som da banda. A introdução e o final da música, com teclado e bateria eletrônica dá um toque especial para este cover.

Talisman feat Jeff Scott Soto – Frozen
Versão original: Madonna

Frozen é considerada um marco na carreira de Madonna por diversos motivos. Primeiramente, a canção apresenta uma mudança radical para a cantora, com o uso de tons eletrônicos mais obscuros, arranjos de cordas e orquestrações com influência oriental e uma forma de cantar explorando tons antes desconhecidos da diva. A música também marca a transição da Material Girl para a Spiritual Woman.

A música ganha uma roupagem hard rock, na versão do Talisman. A banda explora o arranjo de orquestração da versão original por toda a canção e aplica sobre ela guitarras distorcidas e uma bateria com bastante força. A potente voz de Jeff Scott Soto surge então para coroar esta ótima versão.

Versão ao vivo, a qualidade do áudio não está 100%. Para ouvir a versão original, acesse este vídeo (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLmCobOyer8).

A canção também tem uma versão bastante interessante interpretada pelo músico francês Pascal Obispo com a canadense Natasha Saint-Pier.

The Ataris – The Boys of Summer
Versão original: Don Henley

The Ataris tocando em show de televisão na África do Sul (Divulgação)

Para muitos o nome Don Henley pode soar familiar, mas apenas isso. Ele é o baterista e vocalista do Eagles, que a partir de 1982 lançou uma carreira solo extremamente premiada. Seu maior hit solo é, sem dúvida, The Boys of Summer. Curiosamente, a versão do The Ataris também se tornou o single de maior sucesso da banda.

A música tem como sua principal temática a passagem dos anos. A transição da juventude, em direção ao que podemos chamar de “vida adulta” é marcada pela conservação de um relacionamento: “My Love for you Will still be strong, after the boys of Summer have gone”.

É interessante perceber como essa canção se encaixa na carreira do The Ataris e, também, no álbum So Long, Astoria (2003). O álbum apresenta uma banda amadurecendo, deixando um pouco para trás o pop-punk que trata sobre amor adolescente e diversão pura dos discos anteriores. A música-título So Long, Astoria (referência ao filme The Goonies, de 1985) mostra exatamente essa mudança, dizendo que a vida é tão boa quanto as memórias que fazemos dela (“life is/only/as good as the memories we make”) e mostrando uma vida de alegria.

Para mim, além de dar mais vida à música, The Ataris conseguiu fazer com que a canção tornasse “deles”, contextualizando dentro da carreira e do momento que a banda passava. O necessário para mostrar que uma grande canção pode ser eterna.

Chris Cornell – Billie Jean
Versão original: Michael Jackson

Chris Cornell dá nova vida ao clássico de Michael Jackson.

Outra versão que combina o grande artista com a grande música é a versão de Billie Jean de Chris Cornell. Ambos dispensam apresentação: uma das mais famosas canções de Michael Jackson, na voz do ex-vocalista do Soundgarden e do Audioslave.

A meu ver, Cornell deu uma identidade à canção, com sua voz única e um feel muito mais voltado ao blues. A música ganha muita emoção e força. A linha de baixo, que marca a versão original, é abandonada e a voz de Cornell dialoga com uma guitarra que me lembrou bastante a melancolia de Jimmy Page em Baby I’m Gonna Leave You.

Bluegrass Tribute

Recentemente, surgiram séries que fazem tributos “inusitados” a bandas de diversos estilos. String Quartets, Piano Versions e, um dos meus favoritos, Bluegrass tributes, são alguns deles. Deste último, dois em particular me chamaram bastante atenção: Strummin’ with the Devil: The Southern Side of Van Halen e Fade to Bluegrass: The Bluegrass Tribute to Metallica.

David Lee Roth with the John Jorgenson Bluegrass Band – Jump
Versão original: Van Halen

Jump é uma música que dispensa qualquer tipo de introdução. Um clássico da década do hard rock da década de 80, a introdução de teclado é, provavelmente, um dos riffs mais lembrados de todos os tempos.

O resultado ficou muito bom. A qualidade é inquestionável e os vocais de David Lee Roth, combinados com um arranjo de primeira, fazem desta versão, no mínimo curiosa. O álbum também conta com uma ótima versão de Eruption, tocada no banjo, para deixar qualquer guitarrista de boca aberta.

Iron Horse – Fuel
Versão original: Metallica

Devo admitir que Fuel está longe de ser uma das minhas músicas preferidas do Metallica e o mesmo acontece no álbum Fade to Bluegrass: The Bluegrass Tribute to Metallica (que chegou a ganhar um volume 2). A escolha de Fuel para comentar se deu, especialmente, porque a música acaba crescendo com esta versão bluegrass.

A canção original é bastante agressiva, pesada e rápida. E, curiosamente, seu tempo encaixa-se perfeitamente no som do bluegrass. Destaque para o belo Jam que a banda faz no meio da música.

The Cardigans – Iron Man
Versão original: Black Sabbath

A suave voz de Nina Persson traz nova dimensão a este clássico do heavy metal (DAVBAR Images, davbar.com)

A doce voz de Nina Persson cantando versos como “Planning his vengeance/That he will soon unfold/Now the time is here/For Iron Man to spread fear” soa até mesmo irônico. Transformar uma música sobre  um vilão vingativo, que é extremamente agressiva, em uma baladinha foi uma grande sacada do Cardigans.

O contraste entre a versão original e esta é tão grande que chega a parecer outra música. E isso que deixa tudo tão interessante. Para quem conheceu o Cardigans com seu grande sucesso, Lovefool, nunca imaginaria que eles poderiam ser influenciados por Black Sabbath. Ainda, o riff clássico de Iron Man, reconhecido a distância por qualquer roqueiro, ganha uma interpretação quase surf music nesta versão.

Israel Kamakawiwo’ole – Over the Rainbow/What a Wonderful World
Versões originais: Judy Garland/Louis Armstrong

Você com certeza já ouviu esta versão, em que o já falecido cantor Israel Kamakawiwo’ole interpreta estes dois clássicos da música mundial somente ao som de seu ukelele. Além de unir duas das mais belas canções escritas no século passado, a simplicidade do instrumental aliado à suave voz deste havaiano faz dela a trilha sonora perfeita para diversas situações.

A versão tornou-se um fenômeno cultural sem igual, sendo incorporada a diversos filmes como Encontro Marcado e Como se Fosse a Primeira Vez, e também programas de TV, como ER (Plantão Médico), Scrubs e Cold Case.

Haciendo zapping mientras desayunaba hoy sábado a las tantas (ya sólo veo la televisión en el desayuno), he aterrizado en Telemadrid (cosas de la tele digital) y estaban poniendo un video de Muse de hace unos añitos… lo he dejado porque hacía un montón que no escuchaba esa canción, Time Is Running Out (no deja incrustar el video, sorry), me ha traído un par de recuerdos de cuando lanzaron su Absolution, en 2003 (un año sin rima) y me he quedado viendo el programa de videoclips, que se llama Todo Hits.

Después del tema de Muse, que en su día no me sedujo pero que me ha agradado recordar, el programa me ha regalado los que para mí son la mejor canción y video de Placebo:

Espero que no lo capen en seguida, para que podáis recordar Pure Morning…

Empezaba despertarse cierta nostalgia en mi interior… este tema es del 98, de su segundo disco, que a mí me llegó entero al año siguiente, el de mis 18 años… Termina Pure Morning y entonces pasa algo extraño: Shining Light de Ash!!

Es uno de esos himnos pop-post-grunge machacón, comercial (para su época), pegadizo a más no poder y del que se han hecho varias versiones, la mayoría de ellas más malas que los donuts light, por cierto (incluída, con todos los respetos, la de Annie Lennox)… pero también es una de esas canciones que te alegra el día. A mí personalmente me recuerda, una vez más, a mis 18 años, a la mítica y extinta tienda de alquiler de discos de Indautxu, a los años en que mp3 era sinónimo de Audiogalaxy…

El siguiente video es VOW de Garbage, una de sus mejores canciones a pesar de que por estos lares no sea muy conocida porque pertenece a su primer disco y aquí despegaron con Versión 2.0.

Vow es de mediados de los 90, pero yo descubrí el primer disco (Garbage) un poco después que el primero… así que una vez más me traslada a mis 17, 18, 19 años. Empiezo a pensar que quien selecciona los videos para este programa es de mi quinta y más o menos comparte mis gustos (o los que tenía por aquella época…).

Confirmada mi sospecha porque los siguientes videos serán Everything Must Go de Manic Street Preachers, la mítica y ultraquemada Song 2 de Blur y Favorite Game de The Cardigans. (también ha habido uno de Courtney Love por en medio, pero a esta tía no la pongo en negrita… incluso aunque me gusten algunas canciones suyas… residuos de mi adolescencia nirvanera, cada uno tiene sus chorradas).

No he podido evitar quedarme pegado al sofa viendo los videos hasta que ha terminado el programa porque son parte de mi historia. Me han dado a la vez la sensación de tener un millón de años y de ser de antes de ayer. Casualidades de la vida el haber puesto la tele un sábado, haber aterrizado precisamente en Telemadrid, precisamente en este programa, precisamente hoy que cumplo 28.

Ok, I am going out of the Baltimore perimiter, but when I hear an artist that many people don’t know of and they are great, I can’t help but write about it.

Photo taken from Ceci's myspace

Ceci G is an up and coming artist from New York. She labels her music Jungle/pop/electronica, which at first I thought didn’t make sense, but the more I listened to her music I saw where she got the jungle from…maybe.

Her voice reminds me of Nina Persson from the Swedish band ‘The Cardigans.’ You may know the band from their hit song lovefool.

Photo taken from Ceci G myspace

But Ceci G uses a new syntheses and adds a twist to her albulm when she sings ‘Rompecabeza,’ a spanish song. I couldn’t really tell you what it is about, but it is beautiful. It is something worth listening.