Labels: Urinine
Review by: Alex Hannan
Four bands cover Bob Seger songs on this ep. That’s four tracks of open road MOR rock songs given an indy rock retooling. not the obvious choice for a tribute, but so it goes –
Sweep the leg Johnny stand out with a cover of “Night Moves”. They keep it simple, none of their usual energy and complexity. instead, they quiet the song down, back it with some subtle keyboards, and a tiny bit of sax that lets its melody and lyrics show. “Working on those night moves, tryin’ to lose those awkward teenage blues” – it’s thoughtful and slightly eerie.
Saraswati choose the song “Feel like a number”. tempo changes and some dissonant chords make the song spikier and more uneasy. Like a less flippant Dismemberment Plan. It fits the song’s mood, pissed off and alienated by work and society.
The Hillary Step = bad band name. Maybe it’s prejudicing me, but I don’t enjoy their version of “Against the wind” very much. They do the quiet/loud emo rock thing, and it’s decently played, but I think they’ve chosen the wrong song for the style. They muffle the emotion that the lyrics could carry. “I wish I didn’t know now what I didn’t know then” – good line.
Lastly [Daryl] cover “Main Street”. some poppy chug guitar chords and neatly placed electronics lead into what sounds like a straightforward run through of the song. Chorus guitar leads and everything. It’s catchy. The song’s origins work in its favour, because it’s a different sense of melody and structure to what you’d normally hear from bands in this style.
This cd is the third of four tribute eps. Creedence Clearwater Revival and Supertramp have already had theirs, and this winter four Journey covers will be released. Weird parallel universe.