View Full Version : favorite cover versions
From some of the posts I read I gather most of you dislike the cover versions on the tribute albums. I sorta like some of them, so my questions is: if you had to choose, which would be your favorite five, and why. These are mine:
1: Sugar Hiccup by Sugar Hiccup.
I'm a sucker for a female falsetto voice so I like this version, since Liz did the CT version in her "regular"voice. Of course the vocal on this track is no match for liz's but I like the way she harmonizes with herself in the chorus.
2: Amelia by Faith and Disease.
Never cared much for the original until I heard this version, it sounds really weird and way out but it suits the song. Also it made me listen to the original closer which i really like now, especially the clearer mix on the remaster.
3: Oomingmak by Numeralia.
The music is really different and the singing is more emotional somehow. for some reason the singer reminds me of Alanis but I like this version anyway.
4: Iceblink Luck by Mephisto Waltz.
I never liked this song much because it sounded so happy it was almost silly. This version has really, well, silly vocals which suit the song really well. I play it more than the original!
5: Seekers who are lovers by Jennifer Hope.
I'm not a big latter day Twins fan. From M&K I only like the first 5 tracks and some of the b-sides. This song i particularly disliked because of the melodramatic background vocals in the chorus bit. Its like sacrilege to say this because every CT 'fan' I talk to seems to love just that about the song. In the cover version it is replaced by a synth melody which to my ears works much better.
Dont hate me for saying this!:bow:
evangeline
Jan-6-04, 9:45 AM
you know, i've never heard the tribute album. i've heard (mainly around this forum) that's it's a load of bollocks. i see it lying around HMV and i'm always keen to pick it up but never do. it's gotta be worth adding to the collection right? opinions appreciated!
Phil Lawton
Jan-6-04, 10:00 AM
Evangeline
If you're referring to "Dark Treasure", then the answer is "yes, it's bollocks".
Each track literally made me laugh out loud ("Persephone" deserves some sort of comedy award).
The one redeeming feature is the version of "Thinner The Air", which I quite like.
Yes its awful and silly. Very dorky-gothy. I also laughed out loud on first listen, however I do like The Autumns rocking cover of "Garlands."
Originally posted by evangeline
you know, i've never heard the tribute album. i've heard (mainly around this forum) that's it's a load of bollocks. i see it lying around HMV and i'm always keen to pick it up but never do. it's gotta be worth adding to the collection right? opinions appreciated!
I think its worth it but you have to keep an open mind about it. Of course most of the covers are no match for the originals but its interesting to get a different perspective on the songs that youve known so well for such a long time. There is another tribute album by the way called HalfGifts which doesnt focus on the Goth thing so much and is generally considered the better one (although I prefer the other).
Pale Clouded
Jan-6-04, 4:11 PM
The Thinner The Air - Covered by Trance To The Sun :)
dynamine
Jan-6-04, 4:47 PM
PUMALIN-"cherry-coloured funk"
R.I.P
-RO S S
Lush - Hey Hey Helen (produced by RG)
Originally posted by gkjsooley
Lush - Hey Hey Helen (produced by RG)
Thats actually an ABBA cover, isnt it?:confused:
Hey -
There is a fantastic cover version of Great Spangled Fritillary by Subdew on "Half Gifts a Tribute Album to the Cocteau Twins" - If you don't have this I highly recommend it. I am not that into the rest of the album but I can honestly say I LOVE this cover. I listened to it over and over one night then listened to the CT's version over and over and finally got to the point where I played them together and it's REALLY COOL! No, I'm not crazy.
Anyway, try it, you might like it.
I don't remember where I got this CD, I think I ordered it in the mail. The email on the back of the case is: techmart.com/dewdrops/
And that's my two cents.
Alas.
Originally posted by dynamine
PUMALIN-"cherry-coloured funk"
R.I.P
-RO S S
Thats a great one. I should have had that in my top 5.
Originally posted by GhostFace
Thats actually an ABBA cover, isnt it?:confused:
I know. I was trying to be somewhat cheeky. It's my favorite cover version that has a Cocteau connection. I've never actually heard any covers of Cocteau songs, but I can't imagine anyone really doing them justice. I tend to prefer hearing the artists I like doing cover versions of other people's stuff, as opposed to hearing others cover songs by my fave artists...
heavysoul
Jan-7-04, 3:02 PM
i haven't looked into any of the tributes 2 the band... it's hard imagine others singing liz's fantastic vocals... on the other hand, i luv cocteau twins' cover of strange fruit_billie holiday.
maybe i'll look into one of the tributes sometime...
REPLICESS
Jan-8-04, 10:09 AM
I've not heard any of the/these albums.
very curious though.
Originally posted by REPLICESS
I've not heard any of the/these albums.
very curious though.
You can order HalfGifts from Dewdrops records (via Google)
and you can download most of the tracks from the "gothic" tribute from cocteau twins.com...
Can you still buy Half Gifts from the CocteauFest website for $5 ??
iceblink555
Jan-26-04, 10:02 AM
Some of my fave covers:
-Solomon's Seal - She Will Destroy You
-Pumalin - CCFunk
-Subdew - GSFritillary
-Coastal - Primitive Heart
Most fans seem to prefer the Halfgifts tribute, put out by the Dewdrops label, which is my preference also. I bought my copy from www.cdbaby.com --great service with a wacky sense of humor! The Cleopatra label's Gothic tribute is, well, much more gothy, so proceed accordingly. I think it has four covers of Garlands tracks alone.
I think quite a few of these covers are available on Soulseek (www.slsknet.org). It's a good place to find other CT rarities as well.
--Alan
iceblink555
Jan-27-04, 6:33 AM
Originally posted by paulr
Can you still buy Half Gifts from the CocteauFest website for $5 ??
As far as I can tell, the Half-Gifts tribute CD is still avail. on www.cocteaufest.com for $5 + $2 s/h (in N. Amer.):
http://www.cocteaufest.com/HG.html
It does say something about limited quantities tho, so you might wanna check with Leesa before ordering.
--Alan
np: Solomon's Seal - she will destroy you (remix)
Leesa - can it still be bought for $5 ??
Cheers, Paul
Synesthesia
Jan-28-04, 11:51 AM
have never listened to any CT covers... seems like no one else could do them justice to me...
Originally posted by Synesthesia
have never listened to any CT covers... seems like no one else could do them justice to me...
True, but I think anyone who takes the time and trouble to record a tribute to my favourite band deserves a listen.
iceblink555
Jan-29-04, 3:35 AM
Originally posted by Synesthesia
have never listened to any CT covers... seems like no one else could do them justice to me...
I'm a junky for the damn things!
In no way do I think of them as potentially replacing/surpassing the original tho. More like variations on a theme. And there have been occasions when one of these variants has gotten me more into the original, esp. in the case of Coastal's "Primitive Heart".
--Alan
Originally posted by iceblink555
I'm a junky for the damn things!
In no way do I think of them as potentially replacing/surpassing the original tho. More like variations on a theme. And there have been occasions when one of these variants has gotten me more into the original, esp. in the case of Coastal's "Primitive Heart".
--Alan
Yeah! That's what I was talking about all along! If only more CT fans could see it that way. But it's their loss I suppose.:tongue:
mmmender
Jan-29-04, 3:51 AM
Originally posted by paulr
Leesa - can it still be bought for $5 ??
Cheers, Paul
mais oui monsieur!
btw, if you are trying to decide which cocteau twins tribute album to get out of the two......definitely go with the half-gifts album over the gothiic tribute. the latter is simply an abomination. personally, i'm not all that fond of ANY cocteau twins cover versions that i've heard to date, here's hoping that someone, somewhere can change my mind in the near future!
Originally posted by mmmender
the gothiic tribute is simply an abomination.
I think there's some great stuff on the gothic tribute aswell
like the ones I mentioned at the start of this thread, and the one by Coastal is good, and CCF by Pumalin. I think everyone should at least check it out. You can always skip the crappy ones like Persephone and Athol-brose.
Diva Destruction::2puke:
Now Ive received the Half Gifts CD ( thanks Leesa) I will add to those who have said that its better than the Gothic Tribute one.
In a kind of strage way I like the idea of cover versions of CT tracks for many reasons -
1) They confirm to me just how marvellous the whole CT music experience is
2) They confirm just how untouchable Liz's voice is - IMHO no-one comes close
3) They show jusy how much Robin puts into the whole 'layered sound' and reverb sound - and just how unique it was and I imagine how difficult it is to replicate (but Im no musician)
4) They show just how good some of these tunes really are - eg the version of pink orange red by an april march - and how they still stand up to the test of time and how inferior versions dont destroy the quality of the songs
5) Always good to see how people interpret songs that I have known and loved for years - inquisitive nature ?
Of course none of the cover versions better the originals (natch) but its good to give em a listen - and at $5 for half gifts its a steal !!
Ketamine
Feb-16-04, 6:25 PM
What about Faye Wong?
Originally posted by Ketamine
What about Faye Wong?
Faye Wong did some great covers.
You would expect them to be Cantonese adaptations/ translations of the originals (as she's from Hong Kong) but my wife tells me they're not (she's from HK aswell). She says the Rilkean Heart cover sounds like Mandarin but she's not sure. Other songs sound like nothing she knows- maybe it's some kind of fantasy language like Liz's lyrics but done in a more oriental style. Anyway who cares! The voice is great, closest thing to Liz IMO.
iceblink555
Feb-20-04, 3:45 AM
I love the Faye CT covers, and a lot of her other stuff too.
If I remember correctly, Faye is actually from mainland China, but has lived in HK for quite some time. So Mandarin is her first language. I think all her CT covers are in Mandarin except the two FCC ones: Bluebeard and Know Who You Are...., which are Cantonese.
When I played some of these covers for a Chinese friend of mine a few years ago, she had no problem understanding and translating the lyrics. It turns out that most of it is very cheesy, poppy stuff, like "To know you is to know me, blah blah blah..." from the "Know who you are" cover. So it's a case of ignorance is bliss, since I probably wouldn't like the songs as much if I could understand the lyrics!
--Alan
Originally posted by iceblink555
I love the Faye CT covers, and a lot of her other stuff too.
If I remember correctly, Faye is actually from mainland China, but has lived in HK for quite some time. So Mandarin is her first language. I think all her CT covers are in Mandarin except the two FCC ones: Bluebeard and Know Who You Are...., which are Cantonese.
When I played some of these covers for a Chinese friend of mine a few years ago, she had no problem understanding and translating the lyrics.
--Alan
Maybe I have to ask my wife were she really comes from then...LOL.
I have to say she 's fluent in Cantonese but cannot understand one word in Mandarin (she can just recognise it, sometimes) and I didn't play her ALL of FW's CT covers. So most likely you are right.
So now I can tease her with this...weeks of fun.
apart from the FAYE WONG cover that i also love, it's strange that no-one, even mmmender, hasn't name "ivo" by JEFF BUCKLEY. ok it's a bootleg (to be found easily on kazaa or soulseek) but his version is "fantastique" even though it's rather short (a minute or so).
what do you think ?
dynamine
Feb-21-04, 3:29 PM
ya know,one cover version that has been growing on me over the years is:
Livia-"mizake the mizan"
the more i listen...the more i love it.
:calla:,
R O S S
btw,the "ivo" version by Buckley is cool,of course you wish
it was longer though.not sure if there is another longer
version he may have done.
Originally posted by vog75
apart from the FAYE WONG cover that i also love, it's strange that no-one, even mmmender, hasn't name "ivo" by JEFF BUCKLEY. ok it's a bootleg (to be found easily on kazaa or soulseek) but his version is "fantastique" even though it's rather short (a minute or so).
what do you think ?
I think it's crap.
And you can hear the audience laughing at him.
Originally posted by dynamine
ya know,one cover version that has been growing on me over the years is:
Livia-"mizake the mizan"
the more i listen...the more i love it.
I'd like to hear that one. Maybe you can post it when the Dials section is back up?
Rabidglow
Dec-13-04, 7:51 PM
PUMALIN-"cherry-coloured funk"
R.I.P
-RO S S
I am with you there love... :(
No the idea is other bands that cover CT songs. i like strange Fruit though. The only cover CT did themselves (not counting TMC songs).
No the idea is other bands that cover CT songs. i like strange Fruit though. The only cover CT did themselves (not counting TMC songs).
And Frosty The Snowman & Winter Wonderland
Oh! Eh...ahem. Of course.
Butttt....were they actual covers or just their versions of standards?
Oh! Eh...ahem. Of course.
Butttt....were they actual covers or just their versions of standards?
What's the difference?
Nothing, really.
Except that maybe a cover would be a version of a song as originally written and performed by another artist, whereas a version of a standard would not per se be a cover of a song by a specific artist, but a version of a song that's already in the general domain.
Something like that.
Whatever.
*fake italian accent: Fuhgeddaboudit!*
Phil Lawton
Dec-4-06, 9:26 AM
I'd like to hear the Cheeky Girls' version of "Frou Frou Foxes".
Baddy2shoos
Dec-4-06, 9:28 AM
Touch my bum, this is life.
Phil Lawton
Dec-4-06, 9:34 AM
Touch my bum, this is life.
OK...cold or warm hands?
Baddy2shoos
Dec-4-06, 9:35 AM
Keep your filthy hands where I can see them.
Phil Lawton
Dec-4-06, 9:38 AM
Keep your filthy hands where I can see them.
Fair enough.
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