FEATURE: TOP 10 ALBUMS OF 2007

As the new year begins, I figure it's the best time to reflect on last year's best of the crop. I know undoubtedly this list is not perfect even in my opinion; there are a number of albums I have yet to break in properly, one of which I know almost for certain would land a Top 10 spot. That said, after weeks of preparing for this list, while watching others add theirs to the pile in December, here it is (tentatively): My top 10 albums of 2007.

Number 10: A Fine Frenzy's "One Cell in the Sea"


Sample Track: "Almost Lover" (Sendspace link)
Buy link: Amazon, Amazon.ca, Indigo/Chapters

A stunning debut album from gorgeous singer Alison Sudol, whose voice immediately captured me in "Rangers". After hearing it, I needed her album in a way I've needed few before it, and hers was one of the albums I anticipated most this year. While not every song is to the same quality, the music is still beautiful. "The Minnow and the Trout", though it feels oddly like the theme of a Disney movie, hits me in all the right places; and "Almost Lover", the sample track, is one of the most beautiful songs of the year.

Number 9: Tegan and Sara's "The Con"


Sample Track: "Soil, Soil" (Sendspace link)
Buy link: Amazon, Amazon.ca, Insound, Indigo/Chapters

This album, from one of my favourite Canadian artists, was indeed a grower as many declared it. Sitting for a long time at #17 on my list, only in recent weeks has it started to grow on me. It's full of good songs - "Soil, Soil", "Floorplan", "I Was Married" - and has one genuine hit in "Back in Your Head", which was the subject of my last Track Showcase. The thing that landed this album the list, however, is that every track is pretty damn listenable, even when you don't want to bother listening to the lyrics.

Number 8: Scala & Kolacny Brothers's "One-Winged Angel"


Sample Track: "The Beautiful People" (Sendspace link)
Buy link: Amazon, Amazon.ca

This Belgian girl's choir, whose gorgeous contemporary covers I've loved since first hearing them, released an album that included this shockingly impressive cover of Marylin Manson's "The Beautiful People". I'm not a fan of Manson (his style is my antithesis), but I enjoy this cover very much, and it gave me a chance to enjoy some of his incisive lyrics. This album also includes covers of Damien Rice, KT Tunstall and Radiohead, all worth checking out.

Number 7: Arcade Fire's "Neon Bible"


Sample Track: "Intervention" (Sendspace link)
Buy link: Amazon, Amazon.ca, Insound, Indigo/Chapters

An indie darling from the moment of its release, Arcade Fire has been sadly one of my neglected albums. Again, this is only one that rocketed into the top 10 once I started paying any amount of attention to it. "Intervention", the sample track, is just plain epic. "Keep the Car Running", "No Cars Go", "My Body is a Cage", all excellent tracks that make this even better than their debut.

Number 6: Andrew Bird's "Armchair Apocrypha"


Sample Track: "Imitosis" (Sendspace link)
Buy link: Amazon, Amazon.ca, Insound, Indigo/Chapters

My favourite artist, whose music has become a regular feature on my iPod. Though not nearly as amazing as "The Mysterious Production of Eggs" (which would have grabbed top spot), this album is a worthy successor, with "Heretics", quite possibly one of Andrew Bird's best songs (and definitely the most catchy). As I've shared "Heretics" before, I've included "Imitosis", a darker, gorgeous song I've only recently started listening to thanks to the brilliant remix I've previously posted. While I'd suggest "Eggs" before this any day, I urge you to get this album anyway. It's worthy of being an Andrew Bird album, and I can give no higher praise. Well, except maybe a spot on this list higher than 6, but it's still excellent.

Number 5: Remi Nicole's "My Conscience and I"


Sample Track: "Go Mr. Sunshine" (Sendspace link)
Buy link: Amazon

Another great debut following Alison Sudol's, Remi Nicole is very much following in the footsteps of Lily Allen, coming on as maybe her less-bitchy, just-as-funny sister. Tht's not a bad position to be in at all, as 'Conscience' is an excellent album full of songs with intelligent lyrics and generally good music to go with it. "Go Mr. Sunshine" is a great tribute to summer, one that allows for negative aspects that only make it, and the song, more charming; "Dates From Hell" is a shot at those men, probably some of the same assholes encountered by Ms. Allen on her album last year; "Rock'n Roll" is a great look as Nicole herself, while taking a dig at the stereotype of 'black artist = r'n'b or hip hop'. Pretty much every song here is a fun listen.

Number 4: White Rabbits' "Fort Nightly"


Sample Track: "While We Go Dancing" (Sendspace link)
Buy link: Amazon, Amazon.ca, Insound

These guys know how to make a beat. Every song on this album, from best to not-so-best, can at least get me bopping a little in my chair. The sample track, "While We Go Dancing", showcases this: It's got a great beat, without being overtly poppy or cheery. Much of the album follows this vibe, making for a great 41 minutes of listening. Also check out "Navy Wives", probably my favourite 'Rabbits' track.


Number 3: Patrick Park's "Everyone's in Everyone"


Sample Track: "Saint With a Fever" (Sendspace link)
Buy link: Amazon, Amazon.ca

After discovering Park via The O.C., as many of his listeners must have, I decided to seek out his albums. I found this, his newest album and an accomplishment indeed, holding a scattering of excellent tracks. I've previously shared "Life is a Song" (which most of you probably already had anyway) and "Pawn Song", so the sample is "Sant With a Fever", an interesting song that showcases Park's interesting songwriting.

Number 2: Dragonette's "Galore"


Sample Track: "Competition" (Sendspace link)
Buy link: Amazon, Amazon.ca, Indigo/Chapters

Eleven songs, all but one are amazingly catchy. The one thing I can say about Dragonette that, despite the sexual subjects of most of their songs, they aren't a band about sex. Well, they are, that's undoubtable - what other band would dare to have songs from the POVs of a prostitute, a mistress and a student seducing a teacher on the same album? - but the true meaning is joy. Joy of life, joy of sex, just utter joy, something no watered-down Britney or Christina will ever properly capture. Every song, despite my normal distaste for 'slutty music', makes me bring, and that's because you can just feel the fun that lead singer Martina's Sorbara's having. This isn't a serious album, and that's exactly why it's endearing.

Number 1: The Pierces' "Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge"


Sample Track: "Secret" (Sendspace link)
Buy link: Amazon, Amazon.ca, Insound

Thirteen tales from these delightfully devilish sisters, whose harmonizing voices and clever lyrics have captured my heart forever. Their music is haunting, with witchy ("Sticks & Stones"), teasing ("Boy in a Rock and Roll Band"), insanely rich ("boring") and vengeful ("Ruin") protagonists showcased in each and every song. Their dreamiest song, a rumination on the concept of "Three Wishes", is possibly their best. However, one of the stars of their album is "Secret", a song about the dangers of trusting your secrets with anyone, finally hammering it home that, "Two can keep a secret if one of them is dead".

TRACK SHOWCASE: TEGAN AND SARA'S "BACK IN YOUR HEAD"

"I know these habits hurt important parts of you..."


Tegan and Sara are one of Canada's best indie acts, a pair of identical twins with a knack for great lyrics and music both. They've been playing music for fifteen years - which, considering they are only 27, is no mean feat. Their newest album, The Con, includes this gem. I'm happy to showcase it in some depth, as it's been on my mind a lot this past week.

Tegan and Sara - Back in Your Head (Sendspace link)
Tegan and Sara - Back in Your Head (live on XPN at the World Cafe in Philadelphia) (Sendspace link) * (Originally downloaded from Uberdrivel)

This tune is a head bopper, one that gets you moving even when you realise its lyrics aren't exactly happy. It deals with disconnection, with change, with growing apart. This sadness is oddly expressed in an upbeat song, but after a couple listens you realise that no matter how good the beat is, it isn't upbeat at all, and it takes a bit of a melancholy feel.

Tegan and Sara - Back in Your Head (RAC Remix) (Sendspace link)
Tegan and Sara - Back in Your Head (Tiesto Remix Edit) (from I'll Take the Blame EP) (Sendspace link)
Tegan and Sara - Back in Your Head (Morgan Page Remix) (Sendspace link)
The Broken West - Back in Your Head (Tegan and Sara cover) (Sendspace link)

Here are a collection of new versions of The Con's best song. The RAC remix is one you've probably already encountered, as it's currently making its rounds on the blog circuit. It's a nice, poppy remix with a light touch. The Tiesto Remix Edit is from their newest EP, I'll Take the Blame EP, which includes two new tunes as well as this and the original "Back In Your Head". It takes a very interesting angle to the song, accentuating the darker aspects and working well in its own right, as well as alongside the original. The Morgan Page remix is a good dance remix, giving it a beat that makes it even more impossible not to dance to. And finally, a cover of the song by The Broken West, a band I don't usually listen to but like here.

If you love this song nearly as much as I do, seriously consider buying the album.

MAINTENANCE POST #1

Here's a maintenance post. This is for:

* Me reuploading files that have gone offline since the original posting.
* A hub for you guys to request reuploads, which I will reupload and edit both into this post and the original.
* A place where those who cannot use sendspace (or prefer not to) can request uploads from other sites - Megaupload, Rapidshare, etc.

Currently, A. P. has requested I reupload a song from the Remixes post, so here goes...

DJ Magnet - Love Comes Running Up That Hill Quickly (Placebo Vs. Pet Shop Boys Vs. Kate Bush) (Sendspace link)

For Roon, from the Debut post:

Imogen Heap - Can't Take It In (from the Narnia OST) (Sendspace link)

Anything else I can help with, just comment!

SONG FOUND: BRANDTSON'S "EARTHQUAKES AND SHARKS"

Just thought you guys might be interest to know that a past Awesome Playlist featured song that I could not locate has become newly available to me, and is posted here with the description of it I posted way back when...

Brandtson - Earthquakes and Sharks (Sendspace link)
Formed way back in 1996, Brandtson seem to be a different creature than the Grand Archives. Seem, I'd say, because I only have this one song of theirs, and it rocks. A song with a fantastic beat that just dares you to not bounce around to it, it tells the story of a guy who slowly learns that Mexico and California are not the safest places for the uninitiated. The chorus is an amusing listing off of the dangers, while the rest of the song is his specific experiences with a number of these things.

SHOWCASE: THE PIERCES

"If we built an armour for our tender bodies, could we love each other? Would we strive to feel?"


How does one describe The Pierces properly? Devilish pop, I'd say is the best term for it, with their voices working as a chorus of two that gives them a sound no other artist out there seems to have. Their lyrics are biting and witty, or alternately beautiful and thought-provoking. These two sisters from Alabama are my MVPs of the music scene in 2007, with their frankly amazing CD, Thirteen Tales of Love and Revenge.

Indeed, the title is an apt one, as most of the songs have elements of both. Love and heartbreak, sadness and anger, they shift and weave so tightly you wonder whether they are different emotions at all. The thirteen songs are, with only one or two exceptions, all not only good but among my favourite songs of the year, if not rising to the eternal heights good music reaches with time.

Thirteen Tales is their third album, but I would actually encourage anyone to start with it. It's their best by a shocking distance, though their previous albums are alright. It's rare that an album where 80% of the songs are near-perfect, so I'm happy they fond their footing with this latest offering.

The Pierces - Three Wishes (Sendspace link)
This song is beautiful, with the duo being both chilling and beautiful in a song about what one would do with 'three wishes'. Instead of saccharine wish-fulfilment, this is a warning akin to 'be careful what you wish for'. The preamble sets the tone, asking potent questions about vulnerability, before t plunges into the core of the song. It presents fantastic journeys through air and sea, but teases that the last wish is for 'if your lover ever takes her love away', but refuses to elaborate whether that means regaining her love, getting over her.... or revenge.

The Pierces - Sticks and Stones (Sendspace link)
A seductive, creepy song from a pair of witchy femme fatales, with a perfect atmosphere that gets under your skin and makes you wonder whether they are, in fact, witches ready to 'suck your blood', as the poor unsettled fellow and subject of this song is afraid of. Their style works perfectly here, with the otherworldly feel of two voices for one POV working to their favour.

The Pierces - Boring (Sendspace link)
A song about living with too much money and adventure, this song pokes a little fun at starlets like Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan while spinning a story about the destructive nature of wealth. When you can get anything you want, after all, does anything carry any real allure? Everything soon becomes so commonplace tat even 'the love of [your] life' becomes, as the song says, boring.

I'd continue, but if I did so I'd just go ahead and post the whole album, because every song is excellent (except for the dud Go to Heaven). Plus, I'll need something left to showcase when my Top 10 Albums of 2007 post goes up, which (SPOILER!) these girls will surely be on, if not topping.

Trust me. Get this CD, or you may regret it. All I can do is endlessly count the days 'til their eventual follow-up.

TRACK SHOWCASE: NATALIE WALKER'S "CIRCLES"

"This chapter is over, he's not coming home. Her heart in her throat as she falls to the floor..."


Not often will a track wow me nearly so much as this one. Gorgeous and haunting, this is (according to Walker herself) the story of a young woman who reels from the death of her soldier husband while pregnant with his child. The background, with beautiful piano and lush with instrumentation, gives me goosebumps. Listening to this song is like walking down a forest path in winter with no coat; the cold runs down your spine and threatens to freeze you from the inside out, but the view is so gorgeous that it's completely worth it.

Natalie Walker - Circles (Sendspace link)

Her CD is for sale at CDBaby, by the way.

ROULETTE 2

Hey, guys. I haven't felt too bloggy lately, even on the one-month anniversary last week, but I guess it's the Christmas business keeping me away. Look, ideally, for a Kate Havnevik showcase later on, the one I planned to write yesterday but ended up skipping out on.

For now, I'll give you guys a roulette. Simple, easy, varied and hopefully just as quality (in music if not in writing) as a Showcase or Playlist.

The Dismemberment Plan - Crush (Jennifer Paige cover) (Sendspace link)
Lights - February Air (Sendspace link)
Sufjan Stevens - Sister Winter (Sendspace link)
A Fine Frenzy - Let It Snow (Sendspace link)
Ron Sexsmith - Maybe This Christmas (Sendspace link)
The Sunshine Underground - Borders (Sendspace link)

Some Christmas- and winter-related songs to fit thematically with the time of year, plus a cover I find awfully amusing and a song from a band I really like.

And as always, if you like the artists, feel free to check them out elsewhere. And enjoy!

PLAYLIST: REMIXES AND MASHES

I'll let you guys on a secret. I hate remixes.

... No, you don't understand. Hate. They are almost overwhelmingly disappointing. After hearing raves for, say, 'The Magical Unicorn Big Beats in the Jungle' remix of an artist I love, I grab it and, upon listening, sigh. Not only do they not improve the song, they often make my favourites unbearable! It's annoying. However, recently I've begun to come around, like I did for instrumentals. No, I don't think those others are any better, they're still awful - but now I won't have complete certainty beforehand that a new remix will suck enormously.

Another type of song I despised until I encountered some good/amusing ones were mashups. I thought they were lame attempts to play with popular music, and in most cases they are. However, there are some that are either genuinely amusing or actually damn good music.

So, in honour of giving things second chances, a playlist.

Andrew Bird - Imitosis (Four Tet Remix) (Sendspace link)
A song I never paid much attention to, Imitosis is a song common in tone to Andrew Bird's style: darker, moody, lyrical. Four Tet's remix adds a beat to it, something that accentuates the darkness of the song and yet draws you in further. It once or twice steps on Bird's toes, but otherwise an excellent enhancement to the original.

Amy Winehouse - Rehab (Desert Eagle Remix) (Sendspace link)
When my sister was extolling the virtues of this 'brilliant' new singer she'd found, I was often uninterested in Winehouse's music. However, this remix sold me on Rehab, a song I'd previously been (and still am) not terribly in love with. The horns in the back, the added beat, it just gives the song a whole sense of style that the original lacks.

Dido - Here With Me (Lukas Burton Remix) (Sendspace link)
Where the original, an old favourite, went for atmosphere, this remix goes for a lower-key song with a darker beat added in. The changes, while negating the slow build and chaotic backing of the original, gives this version a whole new flavour. It's more low-key, with the added beat giving a sense of order to the background later in the song.

Stars - Your Ex-Lover is Dead (Final Fantasy Remix) (Sendspace link)
A radical edit instrumentally, this remix strips the song right down to a piano and some hazy effects, making Stars' lead singers sound sound almost as if they're singing on a radio in the background. It's really quite pretty, and though it's not an improvement (as the original is quite possibly my favourite Star's song to begin with), it's a worthy remix.

DJ Magnet - Love Comes Running Up That Hill Quickly (Placebo Vs. Pet Shop Boys Vs. Kate Bush) (Sendspace link)
This mashup is extremely unusual in that, somehow, all the elements combine to make something that actually sounds like a standalone song. The main difference is that, instead of transplanting Song A's vocals to B's music, the mashing is used to enhance the main song, that being Placebo's cover of "Running Up That Hill". Ghostly vocals from Pet Shop Boys' "Love Comes Quickly", along with a beat I assume is from that song, give this a new atmosphere, while transplanting a portion of Kate Bush's original "Running Up That Hill" makes her sound less like a mash and more like a featured artist. This, on its own, impressed me enough to make up for all the bad ones I've seen before.

Empulsive - Toxic Rehab (Britney Spears vs. Amy Winehouse) (Sendspace link)
This is another interesting mashup that adds something to both involved songs. The 'toxic' metaphor of Britney Spears' song mixes well with the topic of addiction in Amy Winehouse's 'Rehab'. It turns the songs from one about a destructive relationship and another about literal rehab into what feels like a song about others' reactions to the protagonist's destructive relationship. It's 'toxic', she's 'high and can't come down', but they 'tried to make [her] go to rehab and [she] said no, no, no'. This makes it a deeper mix than just throwing The Fray vocals onto a Beyonce song because it sounds funny.

If you like the artists, feel free to check them out elsewhere. And enjoy!

COMING UP

Don't have a full-on new post coming, but I figured you guys might be interested in what's coming in the (hopefully near) future.

Showcases

If I have a couple hours set aside, I want to make a good, worthy post about Andrew Bird. Also, I'd like to introduce you guys to Hello Saferide, Scala & Kolacny Brothers and Eisley. Sadly, as my reader base currently just consists of those related to me, the Feist and Imogen Heap (/Frou Frou) posts will have to wait when those reading don't already know them inside out.

Roulettes

Might do a couple more of these when I don't have the time and energy to write up a full showcase or playlist. Might try 'themed' roulettes, like from my covers playlist on my iPod or somesuch. Will require some more thought.

Playlists

Going to definitely do more of these. I'll continue to do Awesome Playlists when I feel the urge, but something more interesting is on the horizon - playlists based on themes. Here's a rundown of the ones I'm currently, slowly, building up:

- A MONEY-THEMED playlist requested by my dear cousin, Marelly.
- An ISSUE-RELATED SONGS playlist, because everyone needs a dash of morality every so often.
- A SONGS FOR SLEEP playlist, for falling asleep to. Building this one for myself as well!
- A MASHUPS AND REMIXES playlist, as the former are so fun and the latter quite interesting to listen to.
- My INSTRUMENTAL mix made for SwapBot, that I sent to some partners.
- A LITERARY playlist, about songs with references to literature, or in the cases of some are literature put to music.

I have a feeling these are going to be fun to put together. I love tying together songs by themes, and this'll give me a chance to be a little creative.

What Else?

This is where you guys come in. What do you guys want from this here little music blog? More covers? More new music recommendations? Playlists? Comment and tell me!

And, because I can't leave you with nothing, a random mp3 from my collection.

Adrienne Pierce - Lost & Found (Sendspace link)

A track that took me forever to find. I had it and loved it for a long time, but my copy was faulty and had these really annoying static interruptions. This version is slightly different from that one, but it's just as good and it doesn't have those blips that ruined the former version. Got this from Amie Street, which people who like getting mp3's legitimately and helping out artists can go to. It's got this neat way of deciding prices and promoting bands that I won't get into, but I figured it's cool so I'd rec it.

Anyway, that's it for now! Will try to get on here and post something new for you guys sometime soon!

SHOWCASE: RILO KILEY

"They'll see all of it, they'll see all of me, all of the good that won't come out of me, and all the stupid little lies I hide behind."


This time around, a less-obscure pick for those who are familiar with their (formerly) indie bands. Rilo Kiley is at its core its two singers, Jenny Lewis and Blake Sennett, known for the former moreso than the latter. Their lyrics are interesting, often with important messages hidden behind neat stories and anecdotes or amusing writing. They've recently approached the spotlight, signing to a major label and having their music showcased on a number of TV shows and films.

I'm biased toward Jenny Lewis, I'll say that straight out. I will pretty much always pick a song sung by her over Sennett, and that's a fact. I just like her voice and style more. That said, I'm not a huge fan of either's other work for the most part. Jenny's CD with the Watson Twins didn't hook me, and Sennett's band The Elected only have a couple songs I'm fond of. The closest non-Kiley work either has done that impressed me is Lewis' involvement in The Postal Service, with Death Cab For Cutie's Ben Gibbard.

I'd try to be spread out over their 4 albums and other works, but of course there's a bias as I prefer some songs and albums over others.

Rilo Kiley - American Wife (Portions For Foxes B-Side) (Sendspace link)
It might seem like an off choice to start with, but this is quite possibly my favourite Rilo Kiley song. It's certainly one that gets a lot of playtime. It tells the story of a pair who slowly self-destruct, an intriguing story that weaves in ideas about the inevitability of self-destruction. Probably one of the big draws for me in this song is how unconventional it is in many ways. For example, one part goes:

You have eleven siblings
who've had ten broken limbs,
nine divorces and
eight broken hearts and
seven grandkids and
six bypass surgeries,
five college degrees,
four are sick,
three are well,
two are dead
one's in jail.
No-one here moves away
no-one here moves away...

What at first seems like a neat writing scheme leads into a message of their reality, and the cracks that show when you begin to really look at things.

Rilo Kiley - The Good That Won't Come Out (The Execution of All Things) (Sendspace link)
This is a song about the feeling we all know and few don't succumb to. Have you never felt sympathy for the poor and the hungry, or thought, 'It's a shame about the environment', but not really done anything to change things beyond a quarter in the charity box at Mac's? This song explores this, hinting at the concept of global warning but really speaking about the good in everyone that just doesn't come out, which leaves us standing, feeling sorry, as our Earth melts away.

Rilo Kiley - A Better Son/Daughter (The Execution of All Things) (Sendspace link)
A song that's really about social obligation, to always have a series of qualities (strength, kindness, grown up, smart) and forcing ourselves to seem 'happy' for everyone else even when we're really not in a place where that's who we are. This song always reminds me of Kara, weirdly enough. Might be the bit about sleep paralysis at the beginning. It's weird.

Rilo Kiley - A Man/Me/Then Jim (More Adventurous) (Sendspace link)
This is a song about the 'slow fade of love', and how despite our strongest attempts to reverse it, it will often overtake even the strongest passion and leave its prisoners trapped in a relationship that's gone stale or lead to at least one broken heart. The band returns to their interesting lyric-writing when they have this song tell three mini-stories - those of 'A Man' (who encounters a former lover at a funeral and discusses why they ended things), 'Me' (the story of the narrator, who hears the sad story a telemarketer has to tell), and 'Jim' (whose relationship is in the process of exploding in his face).

Rilo Kiley - The Frug (The Initial Friend) (Sendspace link)
This song, charmingly written song that, at first, seems like a collection of random 'I can' or 'I can't' statements that slowly adds up to a song about refusing to let oneself to be vulnerable, culminating in the protagonist's desperate declarations that 'I'll never fall in love, I cannot fall in love'. A nice example of subtlety, and one of my favourite RK songs despite my lack of analysis here.

Rilo Kiley - Christmas Cake (M3 Holiday Edition) (Sendspace link)
Despite its name, this song is not a happy-go-lucky Christmas song, instead an unflinching look at the realities of being poor and unhappy as the famous holiday approaches. The protagonist, crippled under credit card debt, can't get a decent foothold, warning future parents that 'you'll be paying them off 'til your kids grow up and do the same'. Things slowly get worse and worse as the bills pile higher and higher, eventually landing her permanently in her car and waiting, hopelessly, for the fresh start the New Year promises.

BUY: Amazon Canada, Amazon, InSound

Hope you give this excellent band a shot, as they're one of my favourites of all time. Jenny Lewis' voice and their lyrics combine to make Rilo Kiley, according to LastFM, my #3 overall artist (tied with Andrew Bird). Enjoy!

THE SECOND GLANCE - COVERS #1

I'm still finding myself and the spirit of this blog, so you may have noticed some unexpected gaps in my postings. I don't expect my old post-a-day style will stick, but I'm hoping 2-3 times a week minimum will help keep you around. :)

That said, as it's Christmas, it's time for some early presents. And this time I bring: covers! One of my favourite aspects of the musical community, covers are a chance to re-interpret and reconnect with old favourites or the former despised. It's newness and oldness and everything in between.

Tegan and Sara - When You Were Mine (Prince cover) (Sendspace link)
I love this song, though I'm not so much a fan of its original artist. It just makes me happy, and though I'm not sure why, I don't question it. It doesn't feel very polished, but somehow that just adds to its charm.

Keane - Dinner at Eight (Rufus Wainwright cover) (Sendspace link)
This song, written by Rufus Wainwright about his contentious relationship with his famous father Louden Wainwright III, is just a powerful piece of music. I want to say that another artist, especially an artist like Keane who I sometimes lump with bland Brit bands that live on the 'net in multitudes, covering this song is an abomination. However, then I remember that I often undervalue Keane (tarnished by its association in my mind with the often-atrocious Coldplay and my own overlistening), and that while this rendition isn't quite as lovely as Rufus' original, it's an impressive cover and the song that drew me to the original in the first place.

Final Fantasy - Cliquot (Beirut cover) (Sendspace link)
Played before Cliquot was officially released on The Flying Club Cup, this is a lower-key, more melancholy affair with less of the drama of the original. I love the lead singer's voice, and it fits the song very well, giving this cover its worthy spot alongside the original. This version is, sadly, a little fuzzy, but that is hardly noticeable after a couple listens.

Sun Yan Zi - Silent All These Years (Tori Amos cover) (Sendspace link)
This cover is gorgeous, with the piano bobbing alongside it and Sun Yan Zi's beautiful voice pushing it along. There's something more stylised about it, and her accent is enchanting. Just as Tor bettered the original of 'She's Leaving Home', I'm wondering whether I can mark Sun's cover better than Tori's original.

Though these may not be mindblowing at first, give them a chance to work out under your skin. They'll get a hold in and never let you go.

If you like the artists, check them out elsewhere!