The art of the cover – that which can make a song come alive or kill it stone dead. Nothing is more divisive. When it’s done good, it’s special. When its done badly, it’s traumatic – like watching someone belt up a loved one.
Today is a Sunday, and on a Sunday I love nothing more than to hibernate and watch youtube clips. Especially conducive to Sunday youtube sessions is Bon Iver. Nothing screams end-of-the-weekend moping like Vernon.
This is a cover he did of Bonnie Raitt‘s ‘I Can’t Make You Love Me’, recorded live at AIR studios. He performs it as a duet with a member of his band, Sean Carey. Carey’s voice is the honey to Vernon’s milk – silky smooth, earnest and vulnerable. Vernon does everything with such depth of feeling – you can feel the pain in the piano, the emotion behind his soulful croon.
This is easily one of the best covers I have heard recently. The beauty of it is that Thundamentals have interpreted Matt Corby‘s hit distinctly in their own style – in contrast to the swarms of below average acoustic guitar covers. They have deconstructed it, and mashed it up with their spicy hip-hop flavour.
I am a huge Matt fan, this song is brilliant, and I totally dig this version. The vocals of Evan Jones are soulfully spot on, as are the harmonies throughout. The hip-hop beat and rap verses knead the song into a slow-burning groove, not swallowing its catchy hooks, famous ‘ooh-wa-ooh’s’ or affecting bridge.
Below, Justin Vernon covers himself. But seriously – he performs the controversial album closer off the self-titled sophomore Bon Iver LP in a pared back, minimalist way which lets the melody speak for itself, not obscured by 80s synths and keys.
The first verse is sung from the guttural depths of Vernon’s chest register, which makes it all the more poignant and chilling when the falsetto takes over for the second verse.
B is for belt: the art of singing from the chest. 