Who would’ve imagined that ex-Beatle Paul McCartney would one day be collaborating with today’s rap and R&B artists like Kanye and Rihanna? When you’re the most successful composer in the world, I guess McCartney can work with anyone he desires. Did you ever think someone like classic shock rocker Alice Cooper would cover one of McCartney’s classic Beatles hits? Well, Cooper did. Here he is singing Eleanor Rigby from 2014’s The Art of McCartney. Did he pass the audition?
Cooper isn’t the only one covering The Beatles these days. Canadian rocker Bryan Adams came out with a covers album late last year entitled, Tracks Of My Years. Adams digs a little deeper into the Beatles catalogue as he covers Any Time At All, their track from the successful 1964 album, A Hard Days Night. This version is a live stripped down acoustic guitar and piano version compared to Adams’ studio covers album. It’s still effective.
There doesn’t seem there will be a Led Zeppelin reunion in the near future. As Jimmy Page keeps busy remastering and reproducing the Zeppelin catalogue, Robert Plant is busy touring with his Sensational Spaceshifters band. Even though it’s been over seven years since Led Zeppelin played their last concert, Plant delivers his Zep like ways on his tenth solo album. Turn It Up is a zepesque tune from his 2014 release, lullaby and… the Ceaseless Roar.
Big Wreck have kept busy since they reformed in 2010. Ian Thornley and company released Ghosts, their fourth studio album and most lengthy record to date just reaching below the 70 minute mark. The album debuted at #5 on the Canadian Albums Chart. Even though their first single, Ghosts launched almost a year ago, it still sounds as though it was just released yesterday.
Even though The Strokes are still together performing at what seems like just festivals these days, Julian Casablancas, the lead singer, seems to enjoy creating side experiments with a Strokes twist. His latest side project, Julian Casablancas + The Voidz is one alternative album that you must listen to. Released last September, Tyranny is experimental rock to the extreme, although it has hints of Strokes familiarity. Crunch Punch is a catchy track that has subliminal hints of The Strokes. Casablancas’ vocals are less muffled and less distorted on this track compared to the rest of the album.
As we pay tribute to the life and legacy of Leonard Nimoy with his passing late last week, we must realize he lived long and prospered on this Earth. Nimoy released a whopping five studio albums within a span of three years from 1967 to 1970 that included covers from artists such as Johnny Cash and John Fogerty. Nimoy’s highest chart position wasn’t even a song. It was a spoken word track from his first album, Leonard Nimoy Presents Mr. Spock’s Music From Outer Space where A Visit to a Sad Planet was his only hit reaching number 121 on the Billboard chart. Rest in peace Mr. Spock.
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