The original 1995 version of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” is pretty deep and irreplaceable but we’re loving this cover by English singer and songwriter James Morrison. The acoustic version, which he played for the Australian radio duo “Fifi and Jules,” is surprisingly soulful.
Morrison released his third album Awakening last year after having a son and losing his father, who battled alcoholism and depression. The changes in his personal life have allowed him to mature as an artist.
Watch it here:
Uh…I’m feeling hot and bothered now.
Proving the world that he can sing just about anything and make it sound original, Ed Sheeran does it again with another amazing cover.
While Ed’s style is usually along the lines of acoustic, folk, alternative and pop, he is also a huge Hip-Hop and R&B fan. So while he was in New York City promoting his debut album ‘+’, he did an impromptu cover of Ginuwine’s sexy tune “Pony” while rehearsing for his sold-out gig.
If that was just an random performance, I am SERIOUSLY IMPRESSED.
And can I just mention how he just picks up his phone and gets up the second he was done?
Oh you know. It’s not like he just made everyone swoon over his voice.
Metric’s Emily Haines and James Shaw went straight from the Sasquatch stage where they were playing in front of thousands to the Columbia River where they did an acoustic performance of “Synthetica,” the title track off their new record.
The bare setting is perfect for the mood of the song and sounds completely different without the electric guitar. The sweeping sunset and natural setting is perfect when she sings: “Hey, I’m not synthetica.”
The duo filmed the song with NPR.
Watch it here:
By Melissa Novacaska
Name: Alex G.
Song: ”Die In Your Arms” by Justin Bieber
Why we’re obsessed: We’re dying for Alex G, who makes Justin Bieber’s new single “Die In Your Arms” one of her own with her soulful voice.
The beachy scenery in her music video adds a perfect romantic touch to this acoustic cover and has me wondering what JB will do with the original. Will it include the real Selena Gomez and him walking on the beach hand-in-hand (d’aw) or just another look-a -like?
Alex’s version is pretty dayam passionate and puts a nice female twist on the popstar’s track. She slows it down a whole lot, though we’re kind of missing the Jackson 5 element. Give it a listen and you’ll realize why Alex’s version received over 60,000 views in less than a week!
Watch it here:
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Florida duo Urban Noize dropped their remix for Wiz Khalifa’s “No Sleep” and it sounds like an acoustic version of the original. The Rolling Papers remix combines an acoustic guitar and hard-hitting bass to create a relaxed vibe. They took his stand out lyrics and voice and edited it onto the laid back beat, making it perfect for a lazy summer night. We can’t wait to hear what they come up with next.
Cody Simpson realizes the spellbinding effect he has on fans when he acoustifies anything. In the past, we heard him perform intimate, acoustic versions of “Over the Rainbow” and “Taylor” but this time he acoustified his own song “So Listen” for Radio Disney.
He’s played around with an acoustic version of his new song in the past and we love it! While the original with T. Pain is more urgent, this one is heartbreaking and really shows off his voice.
Watch it here:
Adam Lambert showed off a pared down look and performance at an acoustic set this week, premiering his new song “Never Close our Eyes.” The song was written by Playboy cover star Bruno Mars, and is about never wanting to sleep so you can spend all your time awake with your loved one.
The song will appear on his sophomore album Trespassing, which comes out on May 15. While I love his flashier Queen-style performances you can really hear the power of his voice in this track. He says it’s the first time he’s performed acoustically and I think he should do it more often. [Source]
Here’s your weekly dose of music to help you get through a rough week, as prescribed by Azra Kassam.
Nick Santino – Call me Maybe
Anyone who doesn’t live under a rock has probably heard Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call me Maybe.” The kids love it, Justin Bieber loves it, and apparently, A Rocket To the Moon’s Nick Santino loves it too. He decided to record an acoustic cover of the song so it would stop playing over and over in his head. I can’t guarantee that the song won’t get stuck in your head, but hopefully this mature version of the song will tickle your fancy.
Miike Snow — The Wave
“The Wave” is Miike Snow’s second single off the new album “Happy to You.” Listeners beware, the only thing in common “The Wave” has with Miike Snow’s first smash hit “Animal,” is the return of lead singer Andrew Wyatt’s beautifully laidback vocals. Haunting lyrics combined with an entrancing rhythm and repetitive piano chords give the song a somber tone. Watch the new video for “The Wave” above.
Clams Casino remix – Florence and the Machine’s Never Let Me Go
As if Flo needed a remix to bring out her angelic voice, Clams Casino takes “Never Let Me Go” to a whole new level. Clams Casino re-interprets the single, transporting the listener to a lush rainforest with distorted background sound and ethnic drumbeats. The highlight of the remix is Florence Welch’s muffled, pitched down voice halfway through that is simply eerie.
Grace Potter and the Nocturnals – Never Go Back
From their upcoming fourth studio album The Lion The Beast The Beat, (release date June 12) comes Grace Potter and the Nocturnals’ brand new single “Never Go Back.” The single is co-written by Potter and Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach, and is a bluesy, flute infused jam that the two musicians came up with while “fucking around” in the studio. Definitely worth a listen.
The Jezebels – Rosebud
The Jezabels transport me back to the 80s (not that I was alive then) with the video for their latest single “Rosebud.” Directed by Ben Reed, the low quality footage, picture layering, and fake snow complement the song’s retro vibe perfectly. Unfortunately, the Eurythmics do not make a special appearance as I was hoping for!
Australian heartthrob Cody Simpson tweeted a video of himself playing “Over the Rainbow” fireside, on his ukulele. At the end of the song, he says “rest in peace Iz,” presumably for Israel Kamakawiwo’ole, a Hawaiian singer who died in 1997 and played the same song on his ukulele.
The 14-year-old singer recently told Billboard that there’s a possibility he might work with Justin Bieber in the future: “He just hit me up one time — ‘OK, come into the studio tonight.’ I dropped by and it was artist to artist… and you play some of the stuff you’ve been working on and Justin played me a lot of the stuff on his upcoming album.”
That’s the second Justin Bieber collaboration we’ve heard of today, as Bieber’s manager mentioned the possibility of a One Direction collaboration in the future. That boy certainly gets around!
In the meantime, we’re happy with this acoustic version of a classic song.
Listen to it here:
The biggest boy band in the world, One Direction, might team up with the biggest male pop singer, Justin Bieber.
The boys are already touring with Nickelodeon’s Big Time Rush. Now Scooter Braun, Justin Bieber’s manager confirmed that a collaboration between Bieber and One Direction is a possibility after a fan asked the question on Twitter:
One Direction is continuing to sweep the world and their next stop is Saturday Night Live. They’ll perform on April 7, the same day that Sofia Vergara will host. They also recently stopped by 1075 “The River” to perform an acoustic version of “What Makes You Beautiful.” What do you think of it?
Listen to it here:
If I could turn every song into a good acoustic version, I would. “Acoustic that please,” can be my new catch phrase.
Today Jessie J acoustified Rihanna’s “We Found Love” for BBC Radio 1 Live Lounge. The live version really showcases her pipes and puts a new spin on the song. I won’t say I like it better than the original, but it’s a fresh take on a song I’ve heard a little too much of lately. The singer also performed an acoustic version of her song “Domino,” but if you have to catch one out of the two, I’d definitely give this one a go.
YouTube favourite Karmin, along with Questlove and Owen Biddle from ‘The Roots,’ have released an acoustic version of Nicki Minaj’s ‘Super Bass.’
This cover is amazing. Not only is it a full-on jam session because of all the special guests, but the lead singer’s voice really gives the song a unique spin.
She kind of draws attention to the lyrics, and strips the song down to a bare minimum to give it a new meaning. I also love how effortlessly she raps. For a white girl, she has some serious rhythm. Minaj better watch her back.
Check it out below and let us know what you think! Great cover, or will nobody ever do justice to the original?
Metric have announced plans to swing through western Canada later this month for a series of private acoustic shows – but fans won’t be able to buy tickets to see them.
Instead, there are three other ways for you to gain entry to the shows in Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria, where the band will support their newly released album, “Fantasies.”
