Cover versions, it's often been noted, need to do something different with the song. It's interesting that when people have a go at covering The Clash a common approach is to strip back, slow down, get the acoustic guitars out and hold it all in a bit. There's not many wanting to take on the Clash at their own game.
Nouvelle Vague are a French covers outfit who make bossa nova, easy listening and chanson versions of punk and new wave songs. The first time you hear one of them, your ears prick up, and you think 'that's not bad'. After a while though, the novelty wears a bit thin and you can guess exactly what the cover versions sound like just looking at the tracklist. Here they cover Paul Simonon's Guns Of Brixton, stripping all the menace and machismo out of it. Despite missing that bassline and a certain amount of swagger, I quite like it.
Yeah, Adam: I like it as well ... always did, in fact.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever heard their version of The Dead Kennedys 'Too Drunk To Fuck'? You really should ...
Cheers,
Dirk
i very nearly bought their 80s film soundtrack album on vinyl the other week in Belfast have been regretting ever since not doing so. Bugger!
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