Let;s Dance - To The Sound They're Playing On The Radio

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Found a couple of new tracks yesterday from Almighty Records, purveyors of high quality gay disco bosh (those Keane and Elton John versions I played at the August Poptimism for instance). I don't actually have the files here - might add them to the post later if there's demand - I just had A POINT to make.

The first is a rousing version of "Band Of Gold" which turns the opening riff into something more trancey and synthey. It's pretty poptastic and a good example of how to do a tacky dance cover version - doesn't take anything away from the original.

The second is a little more problematic I guess - the latest single by the jewel in the Almighty crown, Belle Lawrence, who did last year's amazing version of the Arctic Monkeys and has also tackled tracks by the Killers, Nickelback, Dido etc - her speciality is bringing out the disco in dadrock, basically. However this track is a cover of Robyn's "With Every Heartbeat". So yes, LOL INDIE etc, but did the record need a cover? It's already a 'dance record', perhaps just insufficiently 'upfront' for some elements of the market. Belle's version adds a whacking great backbeat and is general more defiant where Robyn's is vulnerable - it's more about the two steps forward rather than the step back. The vulnerability is sort of the entire point of the original but in a sneaky, unwholesome way I really enjoy the cover too.

What are your views in general on commercial dance cover versions and remixes - for instance, do you prefer them to be supercharging stuff you do like or attempting to redeem things you don't?

Comments

[byebyepride.livejournal.com]

they should do this to every record in the world.

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

yeah. co-signed

[braisedbywolves.livejournal.com]

Seriously.

[lockedintheatti.livejournal.com]

I was under the impression that Almighty had already got round to a significant proportion of the total already. They'll get there one day, I'm sure.

[alexmacpherson.livejournal.com]

I kind of live at arm's length from commercial dance, I appreciate it but never listen to it? Same goes for commercial dance covers.

But omg will.i.am has sampled BOOKA SHADE on his new album!!!!

[raw-patrick.livejournal.com]

That 1st Will.i.am single off the album samples an italo disco track by Magazine 60.

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

if you don't post the keane bosh, could you mail it to the podcast, ta!

[jeff-worrell.livejournal.com]

There's no hard and fast rules here. Depends on the result, not the approach.

That said, a "will this do?" bosh remix (hello the new Hi Tack, hello Eric Prydz' "Proper Education") will never find much favour with me. But taking one previously insignificant line and making it the centrepiece (e.g. that track which samples & loops "back in my arms again" from ...whatever song that was from) can make for a great track. On the other hand, Scooter's "Logical Song" tried that trick and it was a complete and utter disaster. So, like I said, it depends.

[jauntyalan.livejournal.com]

"Scooter's "Logical Song" tried that trick and it was a complete and utter disaster"

NOT CORRECT. it is AN TRIUMPH

[atommickbrane.livejournal.com]

Supercharging surely = redemption??

[freakytigger.livejournal.com]

Well if you like them already they don't need redemption! Supercharging is the method of choice whatever though.

[credoimprobus]

In response to the last question: both! Either! It's all good. (But then, I am an avowed remix H0.) I do want a remix (yes I am willfully ignoring the dance cover versions part of the question) to bring something new to the table -- if it doesn't significantly transform the original in some way, it's pretty much a waste of space to me.

I will admit to being unpoptimistically prejudiced against yr traditional bosh cover versions, despite having heard some awesome ones over the years. (Too many Replay Mania compilation tv commercials lived through, no doubt...)

[mcarratala.livejournal.com]

There is, I think we've all agreed, no poptimist orthodoxy. But if there was one, here would be my moment of heresy, because I can't stand bosh in any variety (I think this dates back to a hatred of Europop reinforced by living in Italy at the end of the 80s).

[awesomewells.livejournal.com]

I still don't like that Arctic Monkeys cover, it's too limp and not boshing ENOUGH.

[katstevens.livejournal.com]

Bosh covers should:

- add WOOMPH (be it thumping beats or a proper d'n'b VWAAAARP-VWOOOORP bass noise)
- speed up the tempo to such a level that it enables people to DANCE to it properly (too fast and you run into problems in this area unless the dancers are extremely drunk)
- keep the best bits and replace the boring bits with something good. Proper Education did keep the best bits but they were spaced out by v boring sparse beats.