The good people at KCRW just played a song I'd never heard before by an artist I wasn't formerly aware of. Gemma Hayes sang "This Is What You Do" and I felt a bit transfixed for a moment. I liked it a lot. It's really a beautiful tune. Throughout its trip from KCRW to laptop to ear buds to my ears, I kept thinking that she sounded like a female Matthew Ryan. I can't explain it more than that. I heard Matthew Ryan for the first time at Grimey's the other day and I don't know any of his songs. I just know that this song sounded a lot like one that he sang during that in-store performance that I liked so much. This song by Gemma Hayes had the same raspy-voiced delivery and something else I can't quite put my finger on. Whatever. I want more Gemma Hayes and more Matthew Ryan on my iPod.
Also... I made a rare stop on local radio tonight at 102.9 The Buzz and I got to hear the new Kid Rock song, "All Summer Long." I admit that it sounds pretty good, but it just ain't original at all. The whole thing walks that line between tribute and rip-off and I'm not sure where it does which. He sings of listening to "Sweet Home Alabama" as a kid and even throws in that song's famous guitar lick verbatim. That's tribute. His voice reminds me of John Mellencamp's, neither tribute nor rip-off, just a relaxed and raspy voice. Sounds good. The part that really bugs me however is most of the rest of it which sounds oh so much like "Werewolves of London." I don't own that fantastic Warren Zevon song so I can't give it a quick listen to compare and contrast. It's only memory I'm going on but it's been nagging at me all night. Is it just similar? Is it much closer than that? I always get confused about copyrights regarding songs.Zevon fans (Kat Coble?), you hear it too, right? If you haven't heard it, go to KidRock.com and listen to "All Summer Long." I'm curious as to your thoughts.
5 comments:
As an FYI All Summer Long by Kid Rock is, and I have heard him call it this, a style of song called a mash up.
It is VERY intentional that his band is playing Sweet Home Alabama and Werewolves of London as accurately as they can, with Kid singing a new song over the top to create a new song that is a tribute to those parts, but still something more/new.
This is a developing style/form of music, especially in the hip hop world where Kid Rock has a lot of past roots.
Thanks for the recommendations. I checked them out...nice sound. I heard the Kid Rock song. Get ready to hear it every day until October. It's catchy enough to get played in every Subway Restaurant and mall until then.
Anon: Thanks for the FYI. The "Sweet Home" bits were so dead on that I could appreciate their role. "Werewolves" left me curious though since it wasn't note for note, but very, very close. I like mash-ups but hadn't heard it in the rock genre yet and was taken by surprise I guess.
Thanks again. I like the other new songs that I heard on his site as well.
Sam: I totally agree. I've only heard it the one time last night and it's still playing in my head this morning.
As for Matthew Ryan and Gemma Hayes, I'll be digging around to hear more and more of their songs. I love stumbling across new music like theirs.
This Zevon fan will do some heavy listening tonight, and will report in later.
Every time I hear the Kid Rock song begin to play, I think it is Werewolves of London. The melody is that close. Does Kid have to pay anything to use the melody? I know the Verve lost all royalties for Bitter Sweet Symphony to the Rolling Stones because they said it was similar to one of the Stones songs. Anyone know what Stones song that was? - Diane
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