So It Is Now Officially A Thing: Alt Rockers Covering 1989
While it took five songs for me to get sick and tired of Ryan Adams covering Taylor Swift’s 1989, in the style of the Smiths and Springsteen it says here, but that’s just a fake out, it is in the style of Ryan Adams, it only two two songs for Father John Misty, a guy who interests me about as much as Nathan Williams, to bore the hell out of me, with his 1989 tribute in the style of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground.
The first cut is, of course, the deepest, and Misty’s “Blank Space” works very well as a tribute to just about everybody, he sing songs into it, repeats what you don’t think he will, as an aggressive druggy wildness to his sing song, and then doesn’t change genders for that extra special swish of the hips.
It is very good and “Welcome To New York”, the second in a series of two apparently, is more of the same, so it sounds a little old by the time you get to it. Taking nothing away from the cleverness of the concept, it seems already a little played out.
Taylor went on Beats 1 to claim she has started subconsciously singing 1989 in the style of Ryan, throwing off all the fans trying to sing along at her concerts. Unfortunately, I am guessing that she is behind Father John removing his two covers from Soundcloud today, yes folks, they are gone. I wonder if there is a cease and desist hanging somewhere? Perhaps John should ignore Taylor and do a few Ariana Grande songs in the style of the late lamented Lou.
Or maybe every rock star can do a 1989 cover like it’s 1999? Dibs on Danny Brown doing “Shake It Off”.
Blank Space – A-
Welcome To New York – C+
