By Justin Cates
"Landslide" was released by Fleetwood Mac in 1975 and you still hear that version quite a bit in commercials and elsewhere. Whenever I hear it though, I'm reminded of how much I prefer the 1994 version released by the Smashing Pumpkins.
The stark acoustic guitar paired with Billy Corgan's mournful vocals is a huge departure from the angst-ridden aggressive style of most Pumpkins tracks.
I couldn't find the studio version on YouTube but it's worth downloading—legally even—if you're into that sort of thing. This is the audio of a live performance from 2010.
Next we have a pretty amazing cover completely different stylistically from the original.
Again it's a soft, introspective rendition but this time it's of Metallica's blood-pumping classic "Enter Sandman".
Youn Sun Nah is a South Korean jazz singer with a beautiful voice that turns an arena anthem into something completely different.
This is the first time I've been able to listen to this song without feeling compelled to run through a brick wall. The song is now completely haunting and unnerving in a way it never has been.
"Sleep with one eye open" has a far creepier connotation when it's being sung sweetly over acoustic guitar instead of James Hetfield growling over loud guitar riffs.
Things take a dark turn in the middle of this version too with some terrifying vocal runs and demonic breathing/singing that takes this cover in a very different direction.
This last cover isn't really something I'm terribly into, but I'm sure it will please at least one of our regular readers.
This is a band called A Static Lullaby covering Britney Spears' "Toxic" for a compilation called Punk Goes Pop.
I would enjoy this a lot more without the periodic scream/singing in the chorus, but this version still does a fine job of destroying Britney's original.
Besides I though we needed something loud and aggressive after two quiet, thoughtful covers.
