My disdain for the major labels is well documented. The mass-produced, cookie cutter, bullshit “music” that major labels spoonfeed the masses sucks, and so do their new media business practices. Now that these two factors have lined up, it’s only a matter of time before the majors go the way of the dinosaur and Chrysler. This makes me very happy. Come, share my joy and passing anger, with my top three videos that can not be embedded.
I’m pretty sure Damon would be delighted for music bloggers to be able to embed this video and feature the song 14 fucking years after its release. And hell, that might even help the label move some units to a new, younger audience.
Fridays are all about phoning it in and letting other people do all the work, but don’t worry, this week Ben Gibbard, the Mountain Goats, Manchester Orchestra, P.O.S, and Hank III are covering for you.
“Thriller” Ben Gibbard
Rod Temperton is the guy who originally wrote this song for Michael, but in this version, you can actually hear what a tense and creepy song it is without all the cheesy howls and screams and werewolves added. When Ben strips it down like this, the lyrics suddenly become relatable to everyday fears not just the weird shit in Michael’s head. It’s also fun to imagine the songs from a kid’s point of view as Michael chases him around the funfair at Neverland Ranch.
If you’ve never enjoyed this song because you’re not into groups like the Chiffons, fair enough, but at its core, it’s a great pop song. Carole King wrote this and pretty much every other song in the 60’s.
Here’s the Mountain Goats doing their song Palmcorder Yajna, that Ben covered in the link above. And here’s the Mountain Goats covering Mr. In-Between by Bing Crosby
“El Scorcho” Manchester Orchestra
Manchester Orchestra are a badass rock band with lots of sonic noise and distortion, but here they’re just hangin’ out in the garage, bangin’ out a sing-along of Weezer’s El Scorcho. It’s not perfect, but it’s not supposed to be. And who doesn’t love a song about half Japanese girls?
If you’re a big Grandaddy fan, you’ll love this cover of Now It’s On (but if you’re not, you’ll probably wonder what the hell’s going on). And here’s Manchester Orchestra with Kevin Devine doing Neutral Milk Hotel’s Holand 1945. Hands down the best song ever written about Anne Frank.
In about 5 seconds you should know whether or not you like P.O.S’s cover of Pearl Jam’s Why Go. You have to give him credit though for bustin’ out the flannel and admitting he can’t sing without autotune, but still not using it.
Here’s P.O.S doing an acoustic version of P.O.S. is Ruining My Life.
“Pills I Took” Hank III
A lot of people think this actually is a Hank III song, but it’s originally by Those Poor Bastards. And in case you don’t know, Hank III is the grandson of Hank Williams Sr. Yeah, he likes drugs, and no, he probably doesn’t like you, which is exactly what a real country star should be like. If your interested in Hank’s feelings about the mass produced pop country that comes out of Nashville, you’ll enjoy his songs Dick in Dixie and The Grand Ole Opry.
