So, I'm pretty sure everyone knows what a cover album is, but I've made a few requirements for the ones I've selected for the list. Firstly, they can't be the soundtrack to a film, otherwise it would go on for ages and never end. Secondly, I don't really care whether it's a compilation album or a solo album. Either is good. And lastly, since I haven't heard every single cover album ever produced, so this is most definitely an opinion list. Please enjoy and if you do know of any albums I haven't listed, please let me know.
So before we begin, I would just like to acknowledge a few soundtracks of cover songs that have really stood out. Namely Across the Universe, Sucker Punch and Easy Virtue. If you get the chance check them out, particularly the Easy Virtue one.
Finally, I'm going to do what Paw does and have a best song worst song. Just cause I can really.
So without firther ado, let us commence!
8. Cinema Paradiso - David Hobson
David Hobson has probably one of the most awesome male operatic voices ever! But his albums aren't always the best. This is probably the best of the bunch. The subjects of this albums covers are all songs from movies, and it's pretty much hit and miss.
Some of the songs are exceptional, like 'Se' and 'When Somebody Loved Me', but others aren't well suited to Hobson's vocal style and fall flat.
Best Song: I was greatly surprised by how moving 'When Somebody Loved Me' actually was. Just David and a guitar, and it would almost be the best. But it got beaten by the epic awesomeness of his version of 'Nella Fantasia'. With a massive choir in the background, and drums doing a sort of jungle craze, this is the song that suits his voice best and show it off amazingly.
Worst Song: Probably because the style is not suited to his voice, but I'm going to go with 'Moon River'. I hate to say this, but it's almost painful to listen to.
7. Reload - Tom Jones (1999)
In this collection, the Welsh singing sensation teams with numerous other artists and bands to cover songs from all over the place. This is one is almost a hit and miss as well. Pretty much all of the tracks on here are awesome, helped by Tom Jones' massive voice. The only problem here is that Jones' voice is so epic that a lot of the other artists are lost behind it and sound very bland in comparison. A prime example would be 'Burning Down the House', which he did with the Cardigans. Their singer just sounds so bored and manufactured.
Best Song: The best song in this collection would have to be 'Baby It's Cold Outside' with Cerys Matthews. I've heard quite a few versions of this song, but this is the only one I've heard so far that decides to use a big band. And it works so well!
Worst Song: I was considering going with the version of 'Lust for Life' with the Pretenders mainly because it just does not work, but I have to go with 'Sunny Afternoon' with Space, just because this version loses the fun that the original had, and there is way too much going on in terms of sampling.
6. Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Songbook - Ella Fitzgerald (1956)
Ella released a lot of these songbook albums in the 50s, but this is by far my favourite. I am one of the biggest Cole Porter fans, and also a massive Ella Fitzgerald fan, so this is brilliant to me!
The other good thing about this album is that a lot of the songs work. When I look at the track list on the wikipedia page I can't see one song I don't absolutely love. Ella is one of those singers whose voice is perfect for getting across the wittiness of Cole Porter's lyrics, and her timbre is simply devine
Best Song: This was a tough one to pick, because I love all these songs to pieces. But in the end I went with 'Anything Goes'. I like it for the way it slowed the song down and made it more ... lasting, I think. It's just refreshing to actually here what people are singing for once.
Worst Song: As I said, thiw was tough, but I chose 'I've Got You Under My Skin', purely because it's my least favourite Cole Porter song.
5. Strange Little Girls - Toris Amos (2001)
Wow. When I first heard the songs off this album, I was amazed. It such a strange collection of songs to choose to cover, but what I really like about this is the way Tori Amos worked with writer Neil Gaiman to come up with stories for every song she decided to cover, and characters that were meant to be represented in the songs, while also putting a female spin on songs traditionally sung by men.
Best Song: Even though her take on the Boomtown Rats' 'I Don't Like Mondays' almost made me cry, I have to go with the haunting '97 Bonnie and Clyde', originnally done by Eminem. What is amazing about this is that it's just Tori talking the words, but the feeling that she puts into it is so powerful.
Worst Song: Again it was hard, but I'm going to have to go with 'Rattlesnakes' originally by Lloyd Cole, mainly because I could not remember it after I had heard it. Though beware of her version of the Beatles 'Happiness is a Warm Gun'; it is very Tori Amos.
4. How Big Can You Get? - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (2009)
I love Big Bad Voodoo Daddy, mainly because they are one of the only mainstream big bands around today, and this tribute of theirs to the brilliant Cab Calloway is one of my favourites. The band are awesome and do great justice to the tunes they are playing. This is also good for people who only know Cab Calloway as the dude who wrote 'Minnie the Moocher', as it introduces you to some of his other songs.
Best Song: The song i decided to choose was 'The Ghost of Smokey Joe', which is a sort of mash up of 'Minnie the Moocher' and 'Kickin the Gong Around', but it's lead singer Scotty Morris that makes this my favourite. He puts so much emotion into his voice and give a really epic performamce.
Worst Song: I'll have to go with 'Calloway Boogie', mainly because it's just not as catchy as some of the other tunes on here, though I was very tempted to go with 'Minnie the Moocher', because no matter how good these guys are, they just can't beat the master himself.
3. 1000 Years of Popular Music - Richard Thompson (2003)
My dad came home one day, put this CD on, and blew my mind! A live album from one of England's folk kings, it literally is going through 1000 years of popular music, from traditional folk songs, to Gilbert and Sullivan, and even Britney Spears. Thompson puts his own spin on the songs and creates better versions of a lot of the originals.
Best Song: This was another hard one because there were so many to choose from. So, I just decided to go with the obvious, and that is his version of Britney Spears 'Oops! I Did It Again', which is so much better than the original will ever be. It'll shock you by how amazing it is!
Worst Song: This is definitely 'There is Beauty in the Bellow of the Blast' from the Mikado, jsut because it's the only one that really doesn't work. It sounds fairly awful, and out of all the Gilbert and Sullivan songs Thompson could've gone for, this certainly wasn't the best.
2. Cover the World - Various from Putumayo (2003)
Putumayo is a World Music label who tries to show the world all the awesome acts they have no idea exist... that come for all over the world. In this collection, there are various covers done by bands all over the place, from France to Japan, and they cover all manner of people, from Ray Charles to Bob Marley, each putting they're on their own spin.
Best Song: For the fact that is as good as the original for completely different reasons, I'm going for Angelique Kidjo's version of 'Voodoo Child' by Jimi Hendrix. Not as heavy as the original, it gives a new take and a more mellow take on the Hendrix version.
Worst Song: It would have to be 'People Get Ready' by Phoebe Snow and Ladysmith Black Mambazo, originally by the Impressions, just because it is so boring!! I mean it, it might just be me, but it goes on for way too long and nothing happens!!!
1. Strike! - The Baseballs (2009)
I first heard their version of 'Umbrella' on exchange in France. And when I came back and looked them up, I was welcomed to a new, fantastic world of rockabilly, and this debut album from three German dudes with the same taste in music is so awesome!! Half the covers they do are better than the originals... wait, they're all better than the originals!
Best Song: Ummm, well I'll just go with my personal favourite for this one, and that is 'Chasing Cars' originally done very slowly and dull. This version is so much more fun! And the piano playeris absolutely amazing!
Worst Song: Hmm, I'm going to go with 'Crazy in Love', mainly because it sounds a lot like the original... really, a LOT like the original!!
Anyway, that's it from me. Hopefully I will get one up at least once a month from now to the end of the year, not that anyone is likely to read this. But if you did, I hope you found enjoyable!
