Well...At least it's different

[Doog0AD]

So, it's music debate time.

I'm a huge Santana fan. I really enjoy the strong mix of different type of latin music and the varied artists that Santana performs with.

That being said, his new album has a song that, to me, sounds like my ears being violated by a rusty nine-inch nail.

Now, in case you didn't know, Santana's newly released album is more or less a selection of covers from other musicians that he's covering with his distinct latin-sounded guitar. One of them being AC/DC's Back in Black:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQbP6lIlC6I

As much as I like Santana's sound, the vocalists' voice and the very effect-heavy guitar kind of stands as a stark contrast to the simplicity of the original (AC/DC is a school example of simplicity in music).

So, a discussion on covers, and whether they should be -far- removed from the original, or whether it's good that the cover is so different from the original.

 

[Daipire]

I wasn't too sure if I liked it or not.
But the chorus killed any hope for me.

I believe that covers should simply be shifting genres, but still sound familiar.
Like Alien Ant Farm's Billie Jean.
Or Reel Big Fish's Take On Me.
Those are some of the more successful covers, simply changed instruments and a slightly changed feeling.

Also, I think that AC DC songs are too basic* for a cover to sound *similar* without completely ripping it.

*Same souded singing, literally the most basic rock beat and a distortion that seems to be constant with all their songs, well... to me...

 

[Daipire]

I do not know if anyone still even remembers Avril Lavigne but she was kinda infamous for doing shitty songs

You made a typo, but I got your back

 

[shadyh8er]

I don't really have much criteria for a good cover. I guess as long as it doesn't sound too much like the original (like A7X's cover of Pantera's "Walk") and the song being covered fits the covering band's sound, it's good. Then there are the ones that are so unexpected and they end up being awesome, like Disturbed's cover of U2's "I Still Haven't Found what I'm Looking For."

 

[Tips_of_Fingers]

I'm not much into covers anymore....when I was about 14/15 I enjoyed hearing all the punk bands that I liked covering pop songs.

The only Covers album I have bought is Streetlight Manifesto's 99 Songs of the Revolution (it's actually only got 11 songs on it, but it's part of a 9 album project). It's basically ska covers of various songs (usually upping the tempo) that have influenced Tomas Kalnoky (the lead singer and guitarist). Many of the covers are quite bad simply because the singer doesn't suit the song... The worst song on the album is the Cover of Just by Radiohead. To put it lightly, it's fucking terrible. Funnily enough, the two covers that have been slowed down rather than sped up are my favourites: Linoleum by NOFX and Skyscraper by Bad Religion...although he does do Such Great Heights by Postal Service which is fucking awesome.

*ahem* but yeah...I'm all for covers, especially ones that have a different twist to them but I find that more often than not, covers somehow manage to fuck it up by trying to be clever.