Cover Albums

Cafe Society
1

I find reception for them to mixed, AT BEST.

Peter Gabriel, “Scratch my Back”
Duran Duran, “Thank You”
Siouxie and the Banshees, “Through the Looking Glass”

Anyone know of cover albums that have been acclaimed? Not including standards albums.

2

“Underwater Sunshine (or What We Did on Our Summer Vacation)” by Counting Crows has an average rating of 4/5 stars on Amazon. Here’s the track listing:

  1. Untitled (Love Song) by Romany Rye
  2. Start Again by Teenage Fanclub
  3. Hospital by Coby Brown
  4. Mercy by Tender Mercies
  5. Meet On The Ledge by Fairport Convention
  6. Like Teenage Gravity by Kasey Anderson & The Honkies
  7. Amie by Pure Prairie League
  8. Coming Around by Travis
  9. Ooh La La by The Faces
  10. All My Failures by Dawes
  11. Return of the Grievous Angel by Gram Parsons
  12. Four White Stallions by Tender Mercies
  13. Jumping Jesus by Sordid Humor
  14. You Ain’t Going Nowhere by Bob Dylan
  15. The Ballad of El Goodo by Big Star
3

I should note that the only two mainstream Murder Ballad albums I’m familiar with were warmly received:

Kristin Hersh, “Murder, Mystery and then Goodnight”
Nick Cave, “Murder Ballads”

4

I’m not a fan, but the Johnny Cash cover albums were really popular.

5

Metallica’s Garage Days was popular back int he day.
And I’m a fan of any Me First and the Gimme Gimmes album.

6

The Youngbloods “High on a Ridgetop”
Joe Cockern"Mad Dogs and Englishmen"
Loudon Wainwrigt III “Recovery”, unique because it’s all covers of his old songs 30 years later and show hiw time has changed him.

7

I love Me First and the Gimme Gimmes!

The Foo Fighters like to put covers on their B-sides, and a few years ago they put out a compilation on vinyl to help promote Record Store Day. I’ve been wanting to get my hands on it, but it’s pricey on ebay. The track from it I’ve heard are good…a fun version of Darling Nikki probably being my favorite.

8

I did the bright thing and wikied ‘Cover Album’. I just listened to an album by Styx that was all right and a superlative Ministry album.

9

Many of these are original songs, or greatly changed from the traditional. Not that Stagger Lee has official lyrics or anything, but typically fewer “fucks” in the original :smiley:

Sun Kil Moon - Tiny Cities is all Modest Mouse songs. Pitchfork hated it, but I’m not sure if that’s a bad mark.
Laibach - Let it Be based on the Beatles album. Some of the songs are covers in name only though.
Ben Lee did all of Against Me!'s New Wave and released it for free.
I assume tribute albums aren’t counted?

10

Rush - Feedback. Pretty good covers of 60s era rock

11

Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs did a series of cover albums that are pretty awesome: Under The Covers Vol. 1-3.

12

“Cover Me”, various artists covering Springsteen songs. The tracks are:

  1. From Small Things (Big Things One Day Come) - Dave Edmunds
  2. Talk To Me - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
  3. Club Soul City - Gary U.S. Bonds with Chuck Jackson
  4. Reason To Believe - The Beat Farmers
  5. The Fever - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
  6. Because The Night - Patti Smith Group
  7. For You - Greg Kihn
  8. Fire - Pointer Sisters
  9. Love On The Wrong Side Of Town - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
  10. 4th Of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) - The Hollies
  11. This Little Girl - Gary U.S. Bonds
  12. Johnny 99 - Johnny Cash
  13. Rendezvous - The Greg Kihn Band
  14. Alantic City - The Reivers
  15. Hearts Of Stone - Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes
13

Wasn’t Diver Down by Van Halen just covers and instrumentals?

14

Renegade – Rage Against the Machine

15

David Bowie’s “Pin Ups” mostly works.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pin_Ups_%28album%29

16

This was what I was going to mention. I think “Hang Em High” was an original, but otherwise it’s covers and instrumentals.

A few cover albums I’ve enjoyed…

Les Claypool’s Frog Brigade “Live Frogs” covered the entirety of Pink Floyd “Animals”
Matthew Sweet / Susanna Hoffs “Under the Covers” has some great versions, and some clunkers, but is worth it for the several gems.
Nena “Cover Me” is fantastic, covers of both english-language and german-language artists.

17

About Van Halen’s Diver Down:

“Secrets,” “Little Guitars,” and “The Full Bug” were also not covers and not instrumentals.

18

Nanci Griffith’s “Other Voices: Other Rooms” won the Grammy for Best Contemporary Folk Album incl. Best Ethnic or Contemporary Folk Recording.

It’s a superb collection of Folk covers spanning classic folk tunes to modern folk classics.
As for ones I’ve loved (incl Nanci’s two cover albums):
Nena “Cover Me” as GargoyleWB mentioned is great
Snakefarm “Songs from my Funeral” is all timeless versions of timeless songs.
Greg Brown & Bill Morrissey “Friend of Mine” was my introduction to the work of Ferron and their version of her song “Ain’t Life a Brook” is amazing as a duet.

19

Booker T and the MGs did an outstanding cover of The Beatles’ Abbey Road.

20

I love Sun Kil Moon, and Mark Kozelek in general (the leader of SKM).

Ah, but did you know he did “Mark Kozelek versions” of old Bon Scott AC/DC songs in a full cover album?

Really solid and kinda hilarious where you hear his atmospheric, finger-picky melancholy version of I’m Gonna Walk All Over You…