Tuesday, February 13, 2007

KOOKY KOVERS: INTERNATIONAL EDITION

Aloha, jet-setters! M4M Airlines taking off 'round the world to explore unusual pop song cover versions. A passport? The only passport you need is...your computer! And a bribe to get past customs! First stop: Egypt.

Malik Adouane "Shaft" - Yup, the Isaac Hayes chestnut performed with an Arabic tinge, extracted from this Buddha-Bar mix CD.

They say that "Shaft" video is a bad mutha.

Malik has a new album out, not yet released in the US, whose unwieldy if descriptive title is "Orient Meets Funks Brothers & Souls Sisters" ("Funk and Soul Hits Mixed with Arabic Pop Rhythms") - James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Temptations, etc get that slinky snake-charmer sound.

Popchor Berlin "Mongoloid" - Devo's weirdpunk masterpiece gets an uplifting rehaul courtesy of a German 25-person vocal group. (Polyphonic Spree go New Wave?) They also cover the likes of Gang of Four and Missy Elliot.

Dr. Ammondt "Glaudi Calcei/ Blue Suede Shoes" - Elvis sung in Latin. No, not Latin music, like when Elvis sang "No Room To Rhumba In A Sports Car" in the film "Fun In Acapulco," but the actual ancient Roman tongue. This is what they play at real toga parties, har har! Dr. Ammondt, a literature professor at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, has recorded a whole album called "The Legend Lives Forever in Latin." On another release, he sings "Blue Suede Shoes" again in another ancient language, Sumerian. I don't know why.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi ! Thanks for this very weird version of Devo's Mongoloïd.

I'm looking for another cover version of this title by french band "Nouvelle Vague"... Someone's got it ?

Max

Mr Fab said...

Nouvelle Vague? If they did do "Mongoloid" it's not on any of their recordings. Would certainly love to hear it...

Maximilienne said...

I've heard it twice : the first time, in a live session on french radio ("Black Session"/France Inter), the second time, live at "La route du Rock" in Saint Malo. It's a great tune, interpreted by the crazy Camille ! Awesome.

Some people told me that this title was a "bonus track" on a very rare edition of the first album... If someone knows some more...
Thanks !

Max

Stas said...

Popchor Berlin's a capella version of "Mongoloid" I like even much more. It emphasizes that apocalyptic feel. I'll see if I can find & post it today.

Stas said...

Done

http://antificial.blogspot.com/2007/02/one-chromosome-too-many.html

Stas said...

What the hell, links doesn't work. Well, here you go, then.

Mr Fab said...

Thanks,stas,great stuff!

Stil haven't found Nouvelle Vague's version tho...

Stas said...

I found it on Soulseek, it seems to be from a record called "White Session" from 2004. Couldn't find it on Google as of now. Will update post today then let you know. Awful, just awful. :)

Stas said...

Done.

Mr Fab said...

Jeezus, that really was awful. Was expecting the nice little bossa-nova treatments they're known for, but that was just a crappy coffeehouse acoustic version. She didn't even know the words.

Anonymous said...

www.dailymotion.com/video/x5oeay_ live-camille-avec-nouvelle-vague-mo_music