UnderCovers and Collaborations: Semisonic's "Closing Time"

Something about this cover is just amazing, and I can't quite put my finger on what it is. Maybe it's the brilliant instrumentation, or the phenomenal voices of Alex Goot and Chad Sugg. Whatever it is though, this cover is fantastic and simple undeniable. Check these guys out, you won't be disappointed.

Cloé Beaudoin Debuts New Evanescence Cover

Hey guys, check out this newest cover by that Canadian siren, Cloé Beaudoin. I'm as psyched as anybody for the new Evanescence album. As a huge fan of the first two albums, Fallen and The Open Door, I was stoked to hear the newest single front Evanescence's upcoming eponymous album, "What You Want." Now Beaudoin has again transformed a song and laced it with new levels of acoustic brilliance! Check out her cover of the new Evanescence song "What You Want" now!!

Learning Not to Break with Not Without Grace

Hey all, it's good to be back! After so many final exams I can't even see straight, NewRockNews43 is back with some great new reviews, new albums, new bands, and maybe even some interviews too! As I've been so busy with school lately, I haven't had time to keep up with the domestic NRN43 vets, let alone the international acts. But that makes for the best sort of surprises now that I have time to sit back and focus on the music. Some of my favorite things to come out of the past few weeks are new songs by that amazing Swedish alternative-pop band, Not Without Grace.
I first discovered and fell in love with Not Without Grace when I come upon their Mysace page and heard their songs "Cut Me Loose" and "Hide Away." The musical approach these guys (and girl) take is one that is unique and altogether exciting, and one that sets them apart in my mind from everyone else I've ever heard. A tranquil mix of alternative rhythms and lyrics and pop vocals set against pseudo-folk instrumentation, the music that Not Without Grace sets ablaze through the speakers wraps around me and just pulls me in. As that was the feeling I had when I first heard this band, I'm more than excited now to see what kinds of new tracks they've been busy working on.
One of the first tracks I heard from the new NWG catalog was "Devil in Me." The one thing I can say about this song is that it's got a great rhythm, and lyrics that are quite addictive. It has quickly become one of my favorite tracks of the past three months. "Say It" and "Old Man," too, released shortly after "Devil in Me" appeared on NWG's Youtube channel, have been on constant rotation for me. The slowed down and tranquil mood of "Say It" was just what I was looking for when I was studying for my finals, and as I listened, it was almost as if I could see the colors in the music flash before my eyes. Yet "Old Man" took it to another level entirely: the steady and deep rhythm of the song melded perfectly with Christoffer Franzén's guitar work, and as Linnéa Herlogsson took me even higher with her dynamic vocals, Alexander Herlogsson worked to a crescendo in the song with his own fretwork. One of the best efforts I've heard from Not Without Grace, "Old Man" is one of the must-hear tracks from their new list of releases.
Yet all three of those tracks are at least a couple months old, and Not Without Grace aren't staying idle for a moment. A couple weeks ago, they released "What I've Done," a track that is beautiful in its composition and masterful in its execution. Linnéa Herlogsson's voice is angelic and soft over the simple beat and rhythm on the cymbals. Every time I hear this girl sing, I wonder how she can hit those impossible notes, and then just lose myself in the brilliance of her vocal abilities. Yet the guitar work on this song also stands out in bold ways. Franzén's notes are transcendent and philosophical, painting pictures before my eyes as Alexander Herlogsson keeps things moving with his chords and riffs. The ways that Franzén and Alexander Herlogsson compliment each other in their playing is something that NWG as a whole definitely benefits from. An amazing track in every aspect, "What I've Done" is NWG"s way of proving that they have what it takes to be taken seriously as musicians and performers.
Even "What I've Done," though, isn't the most recent of NWG's releases. Uploaded just about a week ago, "Break" is a new sort of Not Without Grace song that I'm bristling with excitement for. A little darker than the songs that I've heard from Not Without Grace before, "Break" goes down to the deepest depths of human emotion and releases a musical explosion in the brightest of technicolors. Linnéa Herlogsson's voice is pensive almost as she sings the verses, but when she gets to the chorus, it blasts forward and with a rush, I'm taken away completely. The guitar work here by Christoffer Franzén and Alexander Herlogsson is impressive in ways that give me chills: to me, it's like these two guys have taken simple guitar chords and notes, and placed them in such a way that they seem to be coming from a whole army of guitarists. When I sit back and realize that there are only two guitarists playing here, I'm floored, as it sounds like there are guitarists all around me propping up the exceptional vocals of Linnéa Herlogsson. The semi-dark undertones of "Break" procure for Not Without Grace yet another key that I am doubly sure will unlock bigger things for them. In ways that are most commendable, Not Without Grace create a most unforgettable song in "Break," and one that will be on permanent rotation for me for at least the next four months. The bottom line here? These new songs are must-hear tracks, as they open up the Not Without Grace to new directions for their legacy, and I'm even more excited now to see what they come out with next. Brilliant composure, brilliant quality, brilliant execution. Just brilliant.

Key Tracks: "What I've Done," "Break," "Say It," "Old Man"           

Cloé Beaudoin, Out Beyond the Sea

One of my tightly-held beliefs with regard to the world music community in general is that it's truly heartbreaking how much talent is out there. There is so much talent, in fact, that I'm finding hard to keep up with the new artists I want to premier here and the vets that just keep pumping out treasure after treasure of artistic triumph. Case in point (again!), Cloé Beaudoin, that Canadian-French siren from the snow-drift clutches of eastern Canada. Beaudoin's covers of "World So Cold," "21 Guns," and "Screaming Bloody Murder," as well as her original pieces "Rest in Peace (RIP)" and "Deliverance," are all five-star tracks if I ever heard any. They grab you and shake you, and don't let go even a little until you're wiped out and waiting for more.

Yet one thing I love about Beaudoin as an artist is that she relishes a challenge and revels in her versatility. Whereas her covers before of Three Days Grace, Sum 41, Green Day and Evanescence all broadcast Beaudoin's hard-rock side, and her original "Rest in Peace (RIP)" in particular shows her deep edge, Beaudoin can just as easily decide to let down her guard a little and surprise me yet again.

I suppose it really should no longer be a surprise when she unveils a new cover that is as far removed from post-grunge and hard-rock as any, but still carries the same punch that the others do. Premiering just a couple of hours ago, Beaudoin's new cover, an updated take on Bobby Darin's classic song "Beyond the Sea," exhibits once again how this siren from the north with the fiery voice can blow us all away.

To be truthful, I'm not as familiar with this song as I was with "21 Guns," but still I used to hear it playing in the house from time to time. A melody from a bygone time, "Beyond the Sea" is almost Big Band-ish, a throwback to Bobby Darin, Frank Sinatra, and other singers who perfected the love ballad. Here, Beaudoin trounces the opposition yet again, and delivers a unique and breathy performance that would have even the most die-hard of Darin fans intrigued. Though not her usual choice in style, Beaudoin nevertheless shines on this song. Definitely a triumph for Beaudoin in its unique placement as a Big Band song covered by an alternative/acoustic musician, "Beyond the Sea" takes on new life in an era when such songs are not heard so often anymore. My favorite song for the day, Cloé Beaudoin does it again. I can't say that I'm even the least bit surprised.  

Cloé Beaudoin: Unwrapped and Under Covers

Up until now, the couple articles I've written here on Cloé Beaudoin have been on her original work: her acoustic ballads "Deliverance" and "Dying Awake," and of course her acoustic and full-band versions of her epic song, "Rest in Peace (RIP)." Yet this Canadian siren has more talent than I ever could have imagined as I review her back-catalog of videos on Youtube and take a look at some of her new uploads. It seems that many artists start out doing covers and the real test for them comes when they move from covering songs to writing their own original material. Yet sometimes, it is more intriguing to watch the motion in reverse, as once an artist has developed their own style through original work, it becomes interesting to see how they interpret another artist's music.

In the back-catalog, among covers of Linkin Park and Paramore, I find a year-old cover of Green Day's "21 Guns." When I first heard this song in May of 2009, I knew it was going to be huge: an epic ballad than sets the tone for the whole 21st Century Breakdown album. It's that one song that seems transcendent: full of life and rebirth all at the same time. Yet it grows in a whole new way when I listen to Beaudoin's cover of it. It has that same transcendent quality as the original, but there is something intense in a different way, almost as if the romance is coming from the other direction; whereas it was Billi Joe calling in the original, here Beaudoin is the one returning, and so lends to the song another level that it didn't have before.  

But that was a year ago, and to write about something a year old isn't exactly cutting edge. Yet Beaudoin has in the past week uploaded to new acoustic covers that just amaze me. A couple weeks ago I came across a new post on her Facebook fanpage alerting of a new cover, and so on a curious note I checked it out. A cover of Three Days Grace's new song "World So Cold" off their most recent album, Life Starts Now, the cover seemed odd at first: Beaudoin slows down the tempo and draws out the lyrics in breathy slight-pauses. But the minute she gets to the chorus, the speed immediately quickens, and she shoots it up, belting out the Amy Lee-style vocals that drew me to her originally. Just closing my eyes and listening, I know that this cover is special: there's just something about her breathy vocals married to the hardcore minor chords she plays on her guitar. I am at once addicted to the chorus and play it again and again.  

Yet even her Three Days Grace cover isn't the newest thing Beaudoin's done, though she only uploaded it no more than two weeks ago. This past Wednesday, Beaudoin uploaded yet another cover for my entertainment pleasure. This time it was a cover of fellow Canadians Sum 41's new single "Screaming Bloody Murder" from their upcoming release. Switching tracks from the post-grunge to the pop-punk, Beaudoin demonstrates again just how versatile she is and can be. Garnering just under a thousand views in just over four days, the cover showcases again Beaudoin's self-aware romantic vocals glued to an addictive melody and rhythm. The amazing pipes I have come to know Beaudoin for are prevalent and fit dynamically with the melodies she belts from her throat. I know this is a Sum 41 song and I am a huge Sum fan myself, but I must say in all honesty that if this was a Beaudoin original, I wouldn't be disappointed in any way. As with her cover of "World So Cold," Beaudoin slows down the tempo and then shoots forward during the choruses, lending to an already addictive track a certain sense of unique ambiguity that makes this song all the more impossible to turn off or turn down. 

Crystal clear from her covers as well as her originals, Cloé Beaudoin has that unique ability to transform and adapt herself to fit into any genre or style she wishes. It goes without saying that this song will be on repeat for the foreseeable future on my computer. Beaudoin continues her string of triumphs with this cover: most successful, most addictive.  

Hello, Astronaut!!

As it's been a few weeks since I've updated (sorry guys, but college is hard lol), I thought I'd start off the new year with an artist that captured my attention so completely when I first heard his music that I have literally been listening to it for months now. I must admit though, rarely is a cover of a song done that propels not only the original artist back into the spotlight, but also has the potential to open the door for an entirely new talent. While it has happened before, as in the cases of Van Halen's cover of The Kinks' "You Really Got Me" and Marilyn Manson's cover of the Eurhythmics' "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)," it's more of a rare treat than a common occurrence. Yet every once in a while an artist comes along with a cover that is so unique and different from the original, while still maintaining the magic that the original possessed, that it's impossible not to take notice. And that's where I find myself today: listening to a cover of a song that was great to begin with, but now seems otherworldly.
An acoustic-pop/electro-pop answer to the guitar-driven pop-punk groups occupying so many of the top spots on Purevolume, Hello, Astronaut is a sound full of possibilities in the vein of Owl City and Never Shout Never. The brainchild of 18-year-old multi-instrumentalist Jordan Palmer, Hello, Astronaut finds home and comfort in the pop-happy melody that comes from Palmer's keyboards and the chorals chimes of his voice. Surely Palmer's hamebase of Fresno, California must be going nuts with his songs pervading the atmosphere. One thing I'm sure of is that whatever fans he has in his hometown, they are going to be his biggest supporters, coming out to every show and doing what they can to show their support. And who could blame them? With melodies like these and a voice like the one he has, Palmer is sure to be on the same fast-track to notoriety and success as were Owl City and Never Shout Never before him.
Hello, Astronaut's sophomore EP, The Only One EP, is a collection of feel-good pop and relatable lyrics with enough rhythm to give a little extra kick to the tracks. I particularly love the intro to the song "Say Goodbye." A ukulele chord set owing to influences from Never Shout Never and Train, "Say Goodbye" immediately gears up and takes off as the ukulele strings fade out and the piano and drums come in. Palmer's voice is complemented perfectly by his double-tracked vocals in the background, giving an overall feel of choral tenacity to a track that shines because of it. With a melody and rhythm that is contagious to say the least, "Say Goodbye" is most certainly one of Hello, Astronaut's premier tracks. Sometimes it takes artists a number of albums and EP's to really find their sound. Yet there are other times when some artists can hit it out of the park on one swing, and Hello, Astronaut has certainly found a way. Whether this was a song Palmer worked on for a year or one that came to him in the middle of the night I have no idea, but one thing I do know is that whatever he's doing, it's working. Definitely one of the tracks that will be on my "most-played" list all week.
As "Say Goodbye" fades out, "The Only One" starts up, and from the start the rhythm and tone in this one is different. Here, Palmer has opted for an acoustic guitar over a ukulele for the intro, lending a more rock feel to the song. At just under 3:00, "The Only One" is most certainly the rock song on Hello, Astronaut's EP, showcasing power chords and palm-mutes sandwiched between catchy choruses and melodic verses. Palmer, however, has maintained his vocal power, dynamic in his tuneful presentation of his choruses with such an infectious air that I can't help but sing along. As Palmer winds down a bit towards the interlude, his keyboards continue to rock me back and forth in a wirldwind of melody and grace. "The Only One" has certainly earned its place as the title-track of the EP.
And yet, the song that drew me to Hello, Astronaut in the first place is neither on the the Only One or Paper! Snow! A Ghost! EP's, nor is written by Palmer. It's Palmer's cover of Vanessa Carlton's 2002 smash-hit "A Thousand Miles" that really floors me. The piano intro is just as soothing and melodic as in the original, but as the keys drain out, Palmer bursts in with a techno beat and electronic chimes that send this song to another world. His voice is nothing but pure pop brilliance, and his rearrangement of the song keeps the brilliantly written backbone and tune while at the same time exploring new territory in the pop-punk and electronic-rock arenas. The mix of Owl City-like beats and chimes coupled with Carlton's original lyrics and string arrangements makes this a slamdunk for Palmer. Hello, Astronaut's version of "A Thousand Miles" up for free download on the Hello, Astronaut Purevolume page will undoubtedly take the music community by storm. This remake is a viral hit if I ever heard one, and with this cover in pocket, Hello, Astronaut has struck musical and commercial gold. Certainly one of my favorite songs this month and for the next few, Hello, Astronaut's cover of "A Thousand Miles" speaks volumes to what Jordan Palmer is capable of.
With two EP's and a number of singles under his belt, Palmer should have no trouble at all accomplishing the feat of getting onto next year's Warped Tour, at the very least. Beyond that, I see him doing nothing short of following the path of Owl City and Never Shout Never, going national, and eventually international. Hello, Astronaut most definitely has what it takes to be the next pop viral sensation. Absolutely someone I'd bet on.

Sounds Like: Owl City, Never Shout Never, Tain, Forever the Sickest Kids

Key Tracks from The Only One EP and Covers (respectively): "Say Goodbye," "The Only One," "A Thousand Miles"

Check out Hello, Astronaut more at: http://jordanastronaut.tumblr.com/, http://www.myspace.com/helloastronaut and http://www.purevolume.com/helloastronaut

Cloé Beaudoin Rips My Heart Out

As all you guys probably could have surmised from my posts over the past few months, I've been trying to get more regular in my posting so you guys have a semi-structured blog to come back to every week or so. But ever the erratic music lover, there are just some days when I discover an amazing talent and I just can't wait to share it with you guys. I do promise to try and space all the posts a few days apart, so due justice is done to both you, the readers, and the artists, who might not be able to rush to my site and read the new article immediately. Never fear though, because if you do happen to miss a new post, or if I've posted a new one unexpectedly, you can always check out the most recent posts in the archive section of my blog. There's just too much talent out there for me to stifle myself all the time, so just take it as it comes guys haha.
Okay, enough blabbering on about stuff you all really don't care about haha. My post today (I would say this week, but I might have more coming for you guys sooner, lol, so we'll just have to see) is about an incredibly talented young woman from Quebec, Canada: Cloé Beaudoin. Now, I don't pretend to know anything about classical music and voice training, but after listening to this girl, I would bet anything that she's what voice instructors spend their lives hoping to discover. With a voice that reaches high into the rafters of my heart and soul, Beaudoin's notes immediately remind me of Lacey Mosely (Flyleaf), and Amy Lee (Evanescence) in particular.
One thing I love about this young artist already is that many of her songs seem to be inspired by serious topics, and those that aren't explicitly so still carry the feeling of having some deeper importance.
Case in point is the first track I listen to on Beaudoin's Youtube channel, "If This Is the End." By Beaudoin's comments, I learn that this one is written to denounce domestic abuse, a worthy cause if ever there was one. "If This Is the End" is a brilliant first track for me, filled with resonating guitar chords and boasting heavy yet insightful lyrics. What I can't get over, though, is Beaudoin's voice. The notes this girl can hit, so seamlessly and beautifully, intrigue me and absolutely floor me. Her voice is so much like that of Amy Lee, but only in range. Beaudoin's vocals are neither copied nor strained; she's not trying to be anyone but herself, and in that light she succeeds beyond anything I would have initially expected. A beautiful track until the end, I wonder if anything else can even begin to compete with it.
Beaudoin doesn't let up for one moment. The next track I pick out from her slew of originals I pick in part because of the note under it: "Inspired by a suicide note." With anything like that following the title, I know I have to listen to the song. I'm not disappointed at all. "Deliverance" is initially faster than "If This Is the End," but slows immediately as Beaudoin's vocals enter, and so already has thrown me in my expectation. The chorus on this one is brilliant: a full-throttle progression that kicks my heart rate up in much the same way as do many Evanescence and Flyleaf songs. Then suddenly, it ends, and the verses slow down once again, leaving me thinking of how flawlessly Beaudoin employs the Pixies' loud-quite-loud dynamic. Never have I heard it applied to acoustic music in such a way that it just jumps right out at me. "Deliverance" is one of the must-hear tracks on Beaudoin's Youtube channel, no contest.
The last track that I will let myself talk about here (because let's face it, once you hear this girl, you're gonna agree with me that nothing I write here can possibly do her justice) is the song "Rest in Peace (RIP)." This one, according to Beaudoin, was inspired by the Twilight Saga book series, and in much the same way that Meg & Dia use their favorite books to wring songs from their talented minds, Beaudoin uses this one to inspire one of her (in my humble opinion) most amazing songs. "Rest in Peace (RIP)" has, among its many bragging rights, an incredible vocal performance from Beaudoin. Right from the first chords she strums on her guitar, Beaudoin's voice is wafting up through my mind, washing away everything I thought I knew about acoustic vocals. I know I can't do this girl justice, but I'm gonna try. With a voice that would make angel's go green with envy, Beaudoin sends "Rest in Peace (RIP)" over the top with lyrics that resonate with every fiber of my being. A bombastic chorus blasts from her guitar, and everything about this song spells romance and forbidden love.
If Beaudoin never had anything else to call her own, she would still have "Rest in Peace (RIP)." But that's not the case at all. More originals abound all over her Youtube channel and Myspace. "Infected" and "Brink of Insanity" test her strengths even further, but I'm gonna let you guys discover those gems for yourselves. Just released recently, 2009's Living in the Shadow showcases some of Beaudoin's best tracks, and many more that make it one of the albums I'm gonna rush out to hear in its entirety. Don't forget the name Cloé Beaudoin; this girl is going places. Still under 20 years old, I believe that we haven't even begun to see the talent that resides in this girl. I'd keep my ears peeled for her if I was you, because there's no way this girl's talent is gonna go unrecognized. Hell would freeze over first.

Sounds Like: Evanescence, Amy Lee (solo), Flyleaf, Meg & Dia, The Wreckers

Key Tracks: "If This Is the End," "Rest in Peace (RIP)," "Deliverance," "Infected"

Check out Cloé Beaudoin more at: http://www.cloebeaudoin.com/index.php, http://www.myspace.com/cloebeaudoinmusic and http://www.youtube.com/user/cloebeaudoin