A baby wailing and stray dog howling

I haven't done a covers post for a while.

Or at least, I don't think I have.

I could be wrong. Either way, I don't have much time tonight so essentially this is a lazy post. A filler, if you like, as I'm in a bit of a rush packing a small bag, wrapping birthday presents and trying to work out the route I need to take to get to Bristol for a friend's 30th birthday celebrations tomorrow. So I hope you excuse me just this once.

So where do we start? Well, how about with Michael Stipe of REM and his great cover of Serge Gainsbourg's 'L'Hotel'. Not having heard the original I can't really comment on how it stands up against it but this is a great breathy, haunting version. All hushed and hinted sexuality. The sense of unspoken, secretive and illicit acts happening behind the closed doors of a dingy hotel hangs over the song.

Can you cover your own song? That's the question I asked myself as I chose this second song. Thankfully I didn't answer myself as talking to oneself is the first sign of madness. Whether it is a cover, I'll let you decide but what is unquestionable is that this is a great version of Mr Weller's old band's song. Add in harmonies from one Gallagher senior and you've got a dad rock fan's wet dream.

And we finish with a rip roaring take on Neil Young's 'Computer Age'. A song which Sonic Youth more than make their own. It's a heads down, no looking back, guitar fuelled stormer that descends into the kind of duelling guitar breakdown think that is a trademark of New York's finest.

Michael Stipe - l'hotel (Serge Gainsbourg cover)

Paul Weller and Noel Gallagher - that's entertainment (The Jam cover)

Sonic Youth - computer age (Neil Young cover)

mp3 / music / covers / Michael Stipe / Paul Weller / Noel Gallagher / Sonic Youth