There must have been something in the water during the summer of 2011.  Both Puddle of Mudd and Scott Weiland released covers albums during the same week, and then a third one dropped from nu-metal’s often unsung heroes Powerman 5000.  Obviously covers albums are easy to knock out since bands don’t need to endure a laborious writing process, but aside from that, is there any real point?  They’re rarely releases which bring huge amounts of credibility.

Puddle of Mudd’s covers album saw Wes Scantlin and his foolhardy chums bravely tackle tunes which more sensible musicians would have never dared attempt covering.  Naturally, for the most part, they failed…but they went down fighting.  Luckily, using a bit of savvy, on ‘Copies, Clones & Replicants’, Spider One and his band of cohorts (now a completely different band to that of their ‘Tonight The Stars Revolt!’ heyday) have chosen songs which (mostly) don’t sound too contrived when melded into their own image.

It doesn’t take a great leap of imagination to realise that with a small amount of tweaking and some metallic guitar work, Devo’s ‘Whip It’ is almost an ideal choice of cover for Powerman. Those chuggy guitars which run through the core of the version featured here are superb, especially when pitched against some retro synths.  In terms of direct comparison to the Devo cut, it’s a little faster.  More importantly, the added guitars give an extra sense of urgency, without losing any of the spikiness of Mark Mothersbaugh’s original vision.  Despite how much it still resembles Devo’s well known hit, it’s a safe bet to say that Devo’s over-protective fans would not especially be happy with the end result.  Still, that’s probably nothing compared to how Van Halen fans are likely to respond to a cover of ‘Jump’, which here, gets a complete dressing down and reimagining.  There are synths throughout, but they’re of the bleepy kind and make no attempt at reproducing VH’s original keyboard line, at least to begin with.  The main riff becomes a bouncy, danceable, slab of metal which is essentially classic Powerman.  Spider One’s gruff vocal does its usual sneering thing and it’s surprising how well the whole package works.  There’s a fine line between sacrilege and genius, it seems.  Even better is a slightly aggressive version of INXS’s ‘Devil Inside’, which retains most of the original tune structure.  The keyboard sounds can be slightly intrusive, but the great riff makes up for that.   There’s little else to add, except to say this always was a superb number and this slightly more metallic rendition is really no exception.  It’s surprising that it’s not been covered more often.

M’s 80’s hit ‘Pop Musik’ gets a reasonable rendition, which is greatly improved without the cheesy female backing.  The required amount of handclaps and analogue synths (clearly on lend from Grandmaster Flash) really capture the spirit of a bygone musical age.  Against those sounds, choppy rhythm guitars are on hand to remind those listening that Powerman 5000 is a full band and not just Rob Zombie’s little bro and some synths, as it often sounds on this particular track.  Since the guitars are still a little underused, those approaching this number expecting a metalfest are going to be sorely disappointed.  Thinking about it, maybe Spider should have called on his big brother to shout his trademark ‘Yeah, yeah, motherfucker!’ a few times – it could have added to the fun, and it definitely would have given things a new slant.   The Cars‘ ‘Candy O’ is somewhat ordinary in translation, with only a few guitars added for extra chunkiness.  Even though it’s not this collection’s most inspiring cover, it’s clearly important to Spider; after all, it’s not the first time a Cars song has made its way onto a Powerman 5000 disc.

T Rex’s ‘20^th Century Boy’ has it’s guts torn out and played at twice its normal speed in what is possibly the most typically “classic” sounding Powerman 5000 performance here.  Oddly, it kind of suits being trashed up in this fashion, especially when it allows Velkro and Evan 9 chance to really cut loose on their guitars (thus balancing out a few of the other synth heavy tunes).  ‘Electric Avenue’ by Eddy Grant is tailor made for the darkwave/synth metal treatment and the band hit a great groove throughout.  It’s a great track, but despite best efforts, it doesn’t match the brilliance of Skindred’s cover from their ‘Sharkbites and Dogfights’ LP.

The award for “almost unrecognisable” goes to a treatment of The Clash’s ‘Should I Stay or Should I Go’, which strips the anger and replaces the well known guitar riff with dreary darkwave synths and a somewhat maudlin pace.  It shouldn’t work, yet somehow it’s very cool in its own right – like the cover tune Marilyn Manson never got around to recording.  The Church’s ‘Under The Milky Way’ is less fortunate, at least in part, as the band take a once dreamy tune and reduce it to a mechanical mess.  It’s only when semi-acoustic guitars and some tuneful keyboards appear during the chorus section that it gains any kind of redemption.

Naturally, not everything here works completely (The Church number is a bit scrappy and a take on David Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’ is hugely uninspired), but Spider One and his gang sound like they had a good time recording these tunes.  Likewise, they’re often fun to listen to.  Covers albums are rarely “must have” items, but ‘Covers, Clones & Replicants’ comes pretty damn close.  Through some good musical tastes and a bit of good fortune, Spider and his crew survive the covers album “experience” with more dignity than most.

September 2011

Since Puddle of Mudd began life as a bunch of post-grunge Nirvana wannabes with a strong connection to Fred Durst, the idea of them recording a covers album made up of (mostly) seventies rock classics is a little baffling.  However, that’s precisely the path they’ve chosen for their 2011 release ‘re(disc)overed’.

The idea that Puddle of Mudd could even attempt to record a creditable version of Free’s ‘All Right Now’ is a very odd one indeed, given that the original is something of a classic rock sacred cow.  Yet somehow, they manage to record version of this timeless classic which is surprisingly enjoyable in its own way.  This is largely down to Paul Phillips’s abilities as a guitarist, and his tones on ‘All Right Now’ mimick Paul Kossoff as best as he is able.  Even Doug Ardito’s bass playing maintains the presence of Andy Fraser’s take on the original cut, so that too, really should be applauded.  Naturally, Wes Scantlin is no Paul Rodgers so it falls down a little (ie: a lot) in the vocal department.  However, it works well enough all things considered.  Likewise, a sturdy run through of The James Gang’s ‘Funk #49’ has moments of great playing from Phillips, who really seems to get the most out of its bluesy tones.  Steve Miller’s ‘The Joker’ comes with a well crafted arrangement – as close to the original as POM can muster – where Phillips has some great fun on the slide guitar, and Scantlin’s nasal vocals occasionally give this well known number a slightly country vibe, particularly on the chorus.  It’s never going to match the original for most people, but it’s respectful enough.

Scantlin’s nasal approach is a little unsubtle with regard to Bad Company’s ‘Shooting Star’, but he does the best he can, especially since it doesn’t completely suit him.  As before, though, it’s the rest of the band which really hits the mark.  Shannon Boone’s drumming is incredibly solid throughout, and Phillips’s electric guitars have plenty of presence, but it’s the mandolins and acoustics which prove the most effective ingredient.  The featured solos have plenty of gusto (perhaps even a little too much) and the addition of female backing vocals and an old organ give the end of the song a fairly rousing send off.  One of the disc’s lesser known tunes, ‘Everybody Wants You’ (originally by Billy Squier) is a decent-ish rock tune, and although POM play it a little harder all round, it doesn’t really lose much in translation.  Squier’s limited vocal range also means that this is also one of Scantlin’s better efforts.

Perhaps best of all is a spot on take of Tom Petty’s ‘Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around’.  The arrangement is almost identical to the original, perhaps a little tougher, thus suiting the slightly rootsy end of Paul Phillips’s playing.  Obviously it doesn’t really challenge Scantlin in the vocal stakes either.  His range handles Petty’s words admirably, but once BC Jean challenges him with her take on Stevie Nicks’s counter vocal, he appears a little out of his depth.  BC absolutely nails the Nicks part, and although she doesn’t possess the same degree of wobble in her voice, she definitely has the presence to make the track work very well indeed.

Led Zeppelin’s ‘D’Yer’Mak’er’ doesn’t come off anywhere near as well.  The drums lack John Bonham’s power and the cod-reggae which the mighty Zep just about made enjoyable comes across here as weak.  The guitar parts are okay, though nothing special, but Wes Scantlin’s voice really struggles throughout.  Robert Plant was able to lend the original a bit of style, but Scantlin rasps and drawls his way through a very painful four minutes.  For all of its awfulness, though, that doesn’t grate as much as the version of Elton John’s ‘Rocket Man’.  Piano – check.  Swirling strings – check.  Choir of backing vocals – check.  Wes Scantlin’s vocal no better than a grungy dirge – check.   There aren’t enough words to describe how misguided this cover version is.  Trust me when I say that once you’ve heard it, it can never be unheard.  And I think it’s gonna be a long, long time before you ever choose to listen to it again.

Elsewhere, POM tackle the Stones ‘Gimme Shelter’ like any number of pub bands, AC/DC’s ‘TNT’ with a reasonable amount of gusto but none of Bon Scott’s cheeky charm, and absolutely drag Neil Young’s ‘Old Man’ through the pain barrier.  You never want to hear their version of that ‘Harvest’ classic…you really don’t. As with ‘All Right Now’, Phillips’s guitar work is commendable, but once Neil Young’s distinctive, fragile whine has been replaced by a Kurt Cobain-esque drawl, the magic is lost. A selection of female backing vocals help the chorus, but it’s just not enough.

It has a couple of high spots, but overall, ‘re(disc)overed’ is a very average disc, only of interest to hardcore Puddle of Mudd fans.  Still, if this makes a few of those fans check out a Free, Bad Company or Steve Miller album, at least it’s not been an entirely pointless exercise.

August 2011

Red Hot Chili Peppers’ 2001 album ‘By The Way’ can be seen as a pivotal album for the band.  While their early 90s releases ‘Mother’s Milk’ and ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ very much acted as a worldwide breakthrough with a strong mix of rock and funk, ‘By The Way’ bought a new maturity to the Chili Peppers sound.  That album’s songs had many more soulful elements and fewer rap style elements than previously, and the song writing became even more radio friendly.   The band attempted a similar vibe on their 2006 follow up, ‘Stadium Arcadium’ – a sprawling double set which almost did away with all things overtly funk driven.  Quite frankly, although ‘By The Way’ achieved some enjoyable results, by comparison, ‘Arcadium’ was bloated, far too safe and ultimately incredibly boring.

Half a decade later, the band has seen an important change in personnel, with long serving guitarist John Frusciante having departed (for the second time).  With new blood comes new ideas, but although the arrival of Josh Kinghoffer (a man who once had a band with Frusciante) has given the band’s sound a noticeable lift, he doesn’t seem to have changed the Chili Peppers as dramatically as the arrival of Dave Navarro back in 1996.

Those who approach ‘I’m With You’ – the Chili Peppers’ tenth studio release – expecting a return to the arrogance and bluster which fuelled ‘Blood Sugar Sex Magik’ are likely to find the album a little too commercial in places, but thankfully, it has more spark than the band has shown during the preceding decade.  And while there’s an instant familiarity with some of the material, there’s never any obvious point where the band appear to be rewriting old songs or attempting to live off past glories.

This is evident right from the moment the opening number ‘Monarchy of Roses’ hits its stride.  Following a somewhat messy intro of feedback squalls and rolling drums, the rhythms are incredibly tight.  Chad Smith sounds more inspired behind his kit than he has in some years, while Klinghoffer’s guitar rhythms are sharp and heavily driven by funk.  As you’d hope, Anthony Kiedis’s vocals are incredibly tuneful and Flea’s accompanying bassline is busy, though not as out there as his formative years.  It’s a fantastic opening statement, one which you’d fear the band are no longer capable of following with a similar intensity, however, during following track, ‘Factory of Faith’, the band sound just as enthused – perhaps even more so.  The number is dominated by Flea’s bass, constantly looping and bending, over which Kiedis delivers a vocal which has a hard, almost staccato style (much less flowing than most his ‘Stadium Arcadium’ performances). These elements combined celebrate the band’s older funk elements while pitching them against a strong chorus, thus tipping the hat to their more radio friendly sounds of the naughties.

Even more surprising, parts of ‘Look Around’ resemble the band which recorded ‘Mother’s Milk’ almost two decades previously.  Yes, it’s a little slower and, of course, a little more mature, but the thickness of Klinghoffer’s guitar tone brings a strong tribute to the Chili Peppers of yesteryear.  His leads even mimick Frusciante’s tuneless wails on occasion.  As for the song writing itself, the funky verses are enjoyable, but the chorus is stupidly infectious – one of the best things the band has written in a long, long time.  Strong vocals, strong melodies, strong musicianship; you really couldn’t ask for more.  The semi-acoustic ‘Brendan’s Death Song’ shows the band’s softest side at first, with a gentle arrangement underpinned by Smith’s rolling drums – almost tribal on occasion – but before long things sound a little predictable.  There’s no obvious hook here and things never pick up beyond a mid pace. A sharp rise in aggressiveness towards the end allows Smith to bash at his kit in a tried and tested rock style, and that change of mood is much needed.  However, despite best efforts from all concerned, a combination of relatively ordinary arrangement and slightly too long a duration makes this number ‘I’m With You’s weakest link.

‘Goodbye Hooray’ has a sharp edge in a style the Chilis have never really had before.  This is likely down to Klinghoffer’s guitar tones which are more insistant than most of Frusciante’s noodlings, though certainly not as aggressive as Navarro’s leads on tracks like ‘Warped’.  Throughout this number, they combine a typical musical sharpness with another very tuneful chorus.  Those who came to check out Flea’s basslines with probably find this is a number they’ll return to most frequently; not only does he turn in some upfront bass which busies almost relentlessly beneath what is otherwise another commercial chorus, but there’s also an incredibly impressive bass solo midway.  Not to be outdone, Kinghoffer’s featured solo at the end of this number is angry and metallic – perhaps the most threatening piece of guitar work to appear on a Chili Peppers record since Dave Navarro’s departure.

‘Annie Wants a Baby’ brings a greater leaning toward pop harmonies, but even these are generally more inspiring than anything ‘Stadium Arcadium’ even attempted to offer its audience, similar or otherwise.  ‘Annie’ captures the band in fine vocal form, but perhaps most importantly, gives each of the players equal space in its arrangement.  Chad Smith provides a solid backbone and Flea’s basslines are unwavering – never missing the opportunity for a few interesting fills on occasion. Perhaps, though, it is Klinghoffer’s ringing guitar tones which bring the greatest element to this number, proving that he is gifted with a little more finesse than his immediate predecessor.

The lead single ‘The Adventures of Raindance Maggie’ is equipped with a great pulsing bassline and singalong chorus.  It isn’t the most adventurous cut here, but even so, it’s hard to knock the arrangement – casting a funky, yet poppy groove throughout; even with the addition of a slightly intrusive cowbell, it’s all great stuff.   ‘Even You Brutus’ brings something a little different to the Chili Peppers’ repertoire – a tune which has a strongly rooted piano line.  After a slow intro, the tune moves into a slightly r ‘n’ b influenced groove where that piano lays down some hard chords throughout.  Even though this tune doesn’t have the sharp qualities of a few others on ‘I’m With You’, Flea can still be heard beavering away underneath the chorus, weaving intricate basslines, making them fit where others wouldn’t dare think they would be suitable.  While certainly not gold standard RHCP, you have to give the band a little credit for trying something new.

Combining a few pounding drums with a calypso inspired (dare we say disco, even?) arrangement, ‘Dance Dance Dance’ closes the selection of tunes with something very upbeat.  As with most of ‘I’m With You’, it’s well crafted, but it’s with a brief instrumental break where the greatest moment can be heard.  Klinghoffer cranks his guitar a little and Smith also ups the ante and the pair drive home a great, choppy riff; if only it had gone on longer than a few bars, the band could have really started cookin’!  But a few bars is all we’re given before returning to the funky calypso-ish sounds.  It could be said ‘Dance Dance Dance’ a little throwaway, but it makes for a pleasing end to the album.

Despite all the pre-release hype, it was likely that ‘I’m With You’ could have wound up being a crowd pleasing, relatively safe affair that only served to make middle aged people feel hip.  It’s so thrilling to be able to say that the Chili Peppers were as good as their claims prior to the album’s release: they really sound like they’re getting off on this material and not just going through the motions.   Since Flea has said these fourteen cuts were selected from a stockpile of seventy songs, there’s a strong sense of quality control – and it shows.  Welcome back, guys, welcome back.

August 2011