It’s been awhile, but Under the Covers is back with some fresh new covers from a wide range of musicians and genres! We plan on keeping the series up and running this time around, especially after all of the searching we’ve done to bring you some fresh new covers to check out!

Mr. Kane – “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em)” (Greg Kihn Band)

The Greg Kihn Band is an American rock band formed in the 1970s by lead singer Greg Kihn and bassist Steve Wright.  Hitting their prime in the 1980s, they’re most recognizable songs are “Jeopardy” and “The Breakup Song (They Don’t Write ‘Em)”.    Today, the latter song goes up against a more pop induced and rough around the edges cover by Kane “Mr. Kane” Churko, who has worked with artists including Hinder, Ozzy Osbourne, Bob Dylan and Shania Twain.

Original Version

Cover by Mr. Kane

Which is better?

Mr. Kane’s take on this song is definitely that of a more contemporized and pop-induced influence. I like the vocals, the slightly faster tempo, and most of the instrumentals. The only thing I don’t like is the effect Mr. Kane used on his keyboard. Otherwise, the cover is worth a listen or two, but still doesn’t match up to Greg Kihn’s.
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Last week we were graced with a special version of Under the Covers from filmmaker and director, Erik Cieslewicz, who put together a compilation of covers by Tetrastar. This week, we resume the traditional path with some unearthed covers of some great songs.

Seether – “Careless Whisper” (George Michael)

“Careless Whisper” is a 1984 single by George Michael, though it is still sometimes credited to George Michael and Wham!, as George Michael was still a member of the band at the time. Seether covered the song in 2009 as part of a re-release for 2007′s Finding Beauty in Negative Spaces.

Original Version

Cover by Seether

Which is better?

“Alternative” rockers Seether have gone down the tubes over the years. Their cover of this song demonstrates this. No one can beat that compelling sax that appears in the original song, unless of course a band covering it used a sax, too. Sorry, but George Michael wins this one easily.

Warpaint – “Ashes to Ashes” (David Bowie)

David Bowie released this song as the first single from his 1980 album, Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps). I’ve even featured “Ashes to Ashes” as a song of the day on here. Great song, so Warpaint better have a lot to offer in their

Original Version

Cover by Warpaint

Which is better?

I was VERY impressed with the Warpaint version of this song, both instrumentally and vocally.  I’m still gonna have to go with the David Bowie version of this one because it has more spunk and energy, but the Warpaint version is worth adding to a playlist or two.

Arcade Fire – “Maps” (Yeah Yeah Yeahs)

“Maps” is a song released from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs’ 2003 debut album Fever to Tell. Yup, I’ve included “Maps” on Electric Mohawk before, too. I’m not exactly sure when the Arcade Fire released their cover, but I was able to earth up a studio version. I’m not sure which single or other release the song appears on. Maybe there really isn’t a release and I found a live version from a radio or music show, which I typically tend to avoid with this series, but it’s all right to bend the rules a little sometimes. ;)

Original Version

Cover by Arcade Fire

Which is better?

Definitely a very interesting and seemingly more romantically fragile version of this song. I like it, a lot. Do I like it as much as the original? That’s hard to say. It’s definitely arranged in a different style altogether. Ahh, who am I kidding? Let’s just go with the original. I wonder if Arcade Fire even plays this live at any of their concerts… because they should. They really should.

My Darkest Days – “Come Undone” (Duran Duran)

“Come Undone” is the 24th single released by Duran Duran from their 7th studio album, Duran Duran (aka The Wedding Album, as it is Duran Duran’s second self-titled album). My Darkest Days’ take on it comes from their 2010 self-titled release.

Original Version

Cover by My Darkest Days

Which is better?

For some reason, I really like this song. Not sure why. It’s definitely one of Duran Duran’s darker songs. My Darkest Days does a damn good job covering this song. So good, that I’ll give them this one. Good job.

The Offspring – “Totalimmortal” (AFI)

“Totalimmortal” was originally recorded by AFI and released on their 1999 All Hallows EP. The Offspring version appears on the soundtrack for Me, Myself, and Irene.

Original Version

Cover by The Offspring

Which is better?

This cover just seemed out of place to me. For some reason, I don’t see The Offspring as a cover band, especially covering AFI. I could, however, see them covering much older AFI if they were to bust out some covers. AFI’s version wins this round.

This week, I was not only too lazy to make a pic in Photoshop, but I figured that a little extra George Michael wouldn’t hurt anyone. Enjoy folks, and see you again next week!

Let me open this special version of Under the Covers by saying if you don’t like Jaylyn Coffin’s bubblegum pop, high pitched vocals, you will not prefer any Tetrastar song to the original.  An unsigned electonica group, Tetrastar is defined by Coffin’s unlikely vocal style that is rarely heard in any electronic based genre.  But this is what makes them appealing to someone like me, who is not a fan of electronic music.

While their originals seem to lack the je ne sais quoi that makes a pop song stick with you, their covers are something special.  I’m a fan of a group doing covers that they make their own, and with Coffin’s unique vocal style and sequencer Oliver Hindle’s precise, 16 bit, song building, makes any cover of theirs very much of a new style.  Let’s dig in to a few.

“Handlebars” (Flobots)

The Flobots’ first taste of commercial success from a few years back.

Original version:

Cover by Tetrastar:

Which Version is Better?

This song has silly, fun lyrics, but the Flobots perform it like they’re at a funeral march. Making this track into a frantic, sugar-sweet party song is exactly the type of kick in the ass that makes it really listenable. And that’s the mark of a great cover track: taking a song that isn’t all that great and making it a staple of my music library.

“Crank That (Soulja Boy)” (Soulja Boy Tell ‘Em)

Rapper Soulja Boy’s first single, made some top 100 lists and a Grammy nom.

Original version:

Cover by Tetrastar:

Which Version is Better?

Talk about a transformation of a tune. Tetrastar cranks up the tempo, removes the steel drums and puts in tinny electronic bleeps and basically dumps energy drink all over this rap track. Can you improve on a song with this much critical and commercial success? I think Tetrastar does, while I am admittedly not a rap fan, I’m also not an electronica fan. But Tetrastar’s cover is frantic and pulse pumping, and Coffin’s sugar frosted voice is highly preferable to Soulja Boy’s droning.

“Such Great Heights” (Postal Service)

The most well known track from this side project electronica group due to its use in advertisements and Iron and Wine’s cover of it in the film Garden State.

Original version:

Cover by Tetrastar:

Which Version is Better?

This is what I would view as a needless cover. Tetrastar is, in many ways, just The Postal Service with a female vocalist instead of a male one. And that’s exactly what this cover sounds like. Hindle seems to lose a lot of his creativity and instead goes for copying the original track exactly. With how many creative covers of this track that have come out, Tetrastar set themselves up for failure by choosing this one. Just stick to the Postal Service version.

“Float On” (Modest Mouse)

Modest Mouse’s signature song, Float on is another Grammy nominee and is hugely well known.

Original version:

Cover by Tetrastar:

Which Version is Better?

Both versions of this song are delightfully whimsical and have a fantastic level of charm to them. Honestly, you can’t go wrong either way. But since I have to answer that question up there in big type: let’s break it down in the two ways that are really different: electronic beeps versus guitars and Issac Brock’s yelping versus Coffin’s pixie stick in vocal form. I’m more a guitar guy than electronic dude, but Coffin’s voice hits a sweet spot for me, where as the yelping indie vocalist thing that Modest Mouse and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah brought to us is not my cup of tea. I’m giving the edge to Tetrastar.