About Kayode Kendall
Location: Oxon Hill, Maryland
Occupation: Writer
Bio: Kayode "KenKRK" Kendall has written for various websites over the last six years, and now serves as PopSyndicate's music editor.
Posts: 42
More from this author
Usually, cover songs are about taking familiar classics and putting a contemporary spin on them. But Mark Ronson approaches covers very differently with the release of Version. Instrumental in crafting the sounds of artists like Lily Allen and Amy Winehouse, The Britain-born/New York-raised producer has made a name for himself, with a sound reminiscent of soul and R&B from the late 50s and early 60s. It’s a sound that dominates Version, mostly taking songs from the last fifteen to twenty years and giving them an old-school edge.
Some of the best songs dominate the first half of the album, including “Oh My God”, originally done by The Kaiser Chiefs. The song benefits heavily from the rousing trumpets and Lily Allen’s playful, airy vocals. Amy Winehouse, meanwhile, is in full-on Back to Black mode with her uptempo rendition of The Zutons’ “Valerie”. One of the big standouts, however, comes from Australian singer Daniel Merriweather, taking on the Smiths classic “Stop Me If You Think That You’ve Heard This One Before” (simply titled “Stop Me” on Version). The slow build of the strings section is a perfect complement to the soulful vocals, before the moody bass riff, hip-hop beats, and full orchestra kick in. The richness and epic quality of the music is undeniable, and should have many listeners putting the song on repeat.
While several covers focus on alternative rock songs, there is one unusual exception with Tiggers’ cover of Britney Spears’ “Toxic”. The slowed-down beat, brassy overtones, and gravely vocals turn the dance-heavy pop track into something reminiscent of a James Brown b-side, and turns out to be surprisingly enjoyable. Even added verses from the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard make for a nice fit. One can only imagine the results had he and Britney ever done a song together. Him appearing on Mariah Carey’s “Fantasy” remix was mind-blowing enough! Another noteworthy gem has to be Phantom Planet covering Radiohead’s “Just”, with boisterous horns taking over for the memorable guitar riffs.
The most important thing about Version is that Ronson never betrays the spirit or emotions of the songs he’s covering. The presentation may have changed, but the depth and resonance of several songs still remains. Despite moments where his re-inventive energies seem all but exhausted (namely on “Pretty Green” and “The Only One I Know”), Version is still a strong cohesive effort by the young producer.
