Although I do support the basic premise (more on that later), The Mighty Mighty Bosstones' version of Ain't Talkin' Bout Love shows what happens when it goes wrong. Sadly, it's just a bad cover of a metal song, with some token ska awkwardly thrown in at the end.
On the other hand, Motorbreath: by MU330 brings the worlds together perfectly, resulting in a unique offbeat style with dashings of The Clash at their gritty best. Although I'm not familiar with Metallica's original version, it works perfectly here, in particular the majestic horn line. The gutteral vocals are another highlight. This song has introduced me to the band and further investigation is definitely required. Uncouth. Brilliant
Kiss Me Deadly could be any Reel Big Fish song, really. In fact, I think it's their single "The Kids Don't Like It" with a few tweaks. But, as a fan of the band, that's totally fine by me.
Cherry Pie by Nicotine needs more ska...
Given that the original We're Not Gonna Take It was already ridiculously over-the-top, it's hard to see how a cover can top it. However, Less Than Jake's punk cover also perfectly captures the clueless brat attitude. It's (tongue-in-cheek) anger over musical substance, but it's still good for a chuckle.
The lyrics of AC/DC's Big Balls are comedy gold. It's all about the LOLs, so this cover also does the job (*cough* although Loin Groin's version is better). I was actually surprised to read it's by The Pietasters, it sounds nothing like them. The silly ending is a nice touch, though.
The song Iron Maiden perfectly represents the premise of this compilation: heavy metal self-righteous anger juxtaposed with the whimsical ska style. Big D and the Kids Table have nailed it. It's so vehement. Yet so impossible to take seriously! I really dig it.
The Slackers slow things down for a wonderful dub version of Wanted Dead Or Alive. The menacing yet understated groove works perfectly and gives the song a great mood. Very classy.
Speaking of classy, The Porkers do class with a capital "k"! However, their strength lies in hi-octane rock-ska with an infectious energy. On paper, Kiss and The Porkers are a match made in heaven. So Kickstart My Heart is, of course, brilliant. Musically, this cover actually has got more going on than the original. The action comes thick and fast from every direction.
The Final Countdown is a favourite of mine for playing a game of "Here's a song you know, how long until you can work out what song it is?" with unsuspecting friends! The cover is a complete cheese-fest, but that's the appeal. Having said that, Furillo do get things seriously cooking at the end, so there is also some genuine headbanging to be enjoyed.
Unfortunately, by the time Skif Dank's You Gave Love A Bad Name comes along, I'm getting a bit over the whole routine of garage punk-ska bands thrashing something out with some token horns and offbeat guitar sections. So in it's defence, maybe if it were earlier in the album, I would have been kinder to it.
Ballroom Blitz by Peacocks has a really interesting rockabilly influence. Finally, Regatta 69's softer style of Talk Dirty To Me is nicely refreshing. It reminds me a lot of Buck-O-Nine and the chorus is wonderfully catchy.
No comments:
Post a Comment