For me, it's definitely David Bowie's Pinups . For a genre that's normally full of throw-away albums from bands on their last legs, this one's surprisingly consistent and interesting.
edit: And if it counts as a cover album, The Residents' Third Reich 'n Roll is another favorite. What about the rest of you?
Cat Power's "The Covers Record" is nothing short of fantastic. Of course she goes the smart route and basically reinvents every song, rather than just rehashing out karaoke covers. "(I can't Get no) Satisfaction", her cover of the VU's "I found a Reason", and her take on Dylan's "Paths of Victory are all standouts among standouts.
----- People claim I'm possessed by the devil, but mama, I know I'm possessed by your daughter.
Good call on The Residents' Third Reich 'n' Roll. I also dig the Elvis hits on The King and Eye.
My fave is The Animals' Before We Were So Rudely Interrupted. This is from 1977 and is sort of a reunion for them but is easily their best lp to me. And also one of the best albums to get drunk to. You can smell the beer instantly. It would be tantamount to blasphemy but I dig their cover of Baby Blue far more than Dylan's original. Also a killer take of Hazelwood's "The Fool". Eric Burdon gets a single song credit on the lp.
Greg Dulli's versions of Bjork's "Hyperballad" is excellent as is his redition of Fleetwood Mac's "What Makes You Think You're the One" and surprisingly Mary J. Blige's "Real Love" is quite good. But the eclectic mix of remakes turning into straight Twilight Singer's tracks is what makes the album great. There is a consistent quality amongs the different genre's that keeps the album cohesive.
For a true covers album (i.e. covering another artist's entire album) I like Camper Van Beethoven's version of Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk".
There are some really good tracks on Sinead O'Connor's new "Throw Down Your Arms" -- I love "Downpressor Man", and other tracks are good too. Some aren't so successful.
John Hammond's Wicked Grin — a cover of Tom Waits material — did pretty well on Metacritic. I hate cover albums and, well, covers in general, so I haven't heard it, but I thought I'd throw it out there.
Originally posted by m.leland: John Hammond's Wicked Grin — a cover of Tom Waits material — did pretty well on Metacritic. I hate cover albums and, well, covers in general, so I haven't heard it, but I thought I'd throw it out there.
Wicked Grin isn't bad, and it's probably pretty good if you're a John Hammond fan. On the other hand, if like me you're a Tom Waits fan, you won't want to substitute these versions for Waits' originals. The thing that makes it kind of cool, is that Waits actually plays and sings a little on the album, so it makes the whole project a little more credible.
----- People claim I'm possessed by the devil, but mama, I know I'm possessed by your daughter.
Tom Waits also produced the album. Also it is entirely possible to be more of a Tom Waits fan than a John Hammond fan and still love the album. It's Waitstastic!
I don't know if anyone here has heard of the Replicants (a band that had members of Tool and Failure in it and a name inspired by Blade Runner), but their only album (self-titled) is all covers. It features covers of everyone from Pink Floyd to the Cars to Gary Numan.
I wanted to add Mark Kozelek's "What's Next to the Moon"-- his album of Bon Scott-era AC/DC songs. He doesn't go for any of the big hits, so you won't see "Highway to Hell", "Whole Lotta Rosie", or "Big Balls" on the album. But it's funny to watch Kozelek make an album of hauntingly beautiful acoustic ballads out of songs by a band that prides itself on never having written a ballad.
----- People claim I'm possessed by the devil, but mama, I know I'm possessed by your daughter.
Mark Lanegan had a pretty good album of covers called I'll Take Care of You. That dude's got one of my favorite voices in all of music. That and the mediocre Sun Kil Moon album of Modest Mouse covers (Tiny Cities) are the only two covers albums I think I've ever listened to.
-------------------------------------------------- Anatomy to me is a homesick stomach and a broken heart
Originally posted by RavingLunatic: Mark Lanegan had a pretty good album of covers called I'll Take Care of You. That dude's got one of my favorite voices in all of music. That and the mediocre Sun Kil Moon album of Modest Mouse covers (Tiny Cities) are the only two covers albums I think I've ever listened to.
I finally heard Sun Kil Moon's "Tiny Cities", and it is pretty mediocre. I always thought Mark Kozelek had tremendous skills as an arranger, and his covers were always some of his best work. On the Red House Painters' "Songs for a Blue Guitar", he covers three songs-- Yes' "Long Distance Runaround", The Cars' "All Mixed Up", and Wings' "Silly Love Songs". All improve upon the originals and manage to flow into the RHP originals. I think my main problem with the songs on "Tiny Cities" is that they don't improve upon Modest Mouse's originals. Most of the songs seem really bland when taken out of their original context.
----- People claim I'm possessed by the devil, but mama, I know I'm possessed by your daughter.
Cat Power's "The Covers Record" is nothing short of fantastic. Of course she goes the smart route and basically reinvents every song, rather than just rehashing out karaoke covers. "(I can't Get no) Satisfaction", her cover of the VU's "I found a Reason", and her take on Dylan's "Paths of Victory are all standouts among standouts.
I think the Covers Record is quite average, actually. You're right about "I Found a Reason," her version is simply stunning, but most of the other tracks just sound uninspired to me. *Especially* "Satisfcation." What she does to that song is easily misunderstood as "reinterpretation," but my God, does she ever drain it of its life. My complaint isn't really that she takes a fast song and makes it slow, but rather that she takes a totally singular song and makes it gray, unrecognizable. It's just so goddamn sleepy I forget what I'm listening to. A cover is no longer a successful revision if the original tune is completely neutered. Some tunes are just not appropriate choices for the narcotic treatments that Marshall gives her songs. "Satisfaction" is one of them.
Originally posted by RavingLunatic: Mark Lanegan had a pretty good album of covers called I'll Take Care of You. That dude's got one of my favorite voices in all of music. That and the mediocre Sun Kil Moon album of Modest Mouse covers (Tiny Cities) are the only two covers albums I think I've ever listened to.
I finally heard Sun Kil Moon's "Tiny Cities", and it is pretty mediocre. I always thought Mark Kozelek had tremendous skills as an arranger, and his covers were always some of his best work. On the Red House Painters' "Songs for a Blue Guitar", he covers three songs-- Yes' "Long Distance Runaround", The Cars' "All Mixed Up", and Wings' "Silly Love Songs". All improve upon the originals and manage to flow into the RHP originals. I think my main problem with the songs on "Tiny Cities" is that they don't improve upon Modest Mouse's originals. Most of the songs seem really bland when taken out of their original context.
I really like Tiny Cities, and I can't stand Modest MOuse, so I'll chalk it up to liking Kozelek's way with a melody. He really did a great job with the tracks mentioned on Blue Guitar, as well as covers of Kiss' "Shock Me" and Paul Simon's "I Am A Rock" on early Red House Painters records...
I have to second CPA13's selection of the Twilight Singers, and I'll add The Beautiful South's 2004 covers disc Gold Diggas Head Nodders & Pholk Songs...
I really like Tiny Cities, and I can't stand Modest MOuse, so I'll chalk it up to liking Kozelek's way with a melody. He really did a great job with the tracks mentioned on Blue Guitar, as well as covers of Kiss' "Shock Me" and Paul Simon's "I Am A Rock" on early Red House Painters records...
I agree about Tiny Cities. I like it and don't see where all the negative reviews are coming from. I think there are a couple of clunkers on the album for sure, but overall it sounds good to me, and a few of the tracks (dramamine, never ending math equation) are some of my favorite songs of the year.
Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Yanqui U.X.O. (best cover ever) Pelican - Australasia Minus Story - Heaven and Hell ep Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse Wilco - A ghost is born and many more.
Originally posted by eggTweedyegg: Godspeed You! Black Emperor - Yanqui U.X.O. (best cover ever) Pelican - Australasia Minus Story - Heaven and Hell ep Sonic Youth - Sonic Nurse Wilco - A ghost is born and many more.
I think you misread the thread, egg. It's BEST COVER ALBUMS, meaning records consisting of cover versions of other people's songs. I think there is an ALBUM COVERS thread somewhere, but I haven't seen it in a while...
