Covercentric: Birdy Covers Mew
Birdy‘s debut album is a delightful collection of songs beautifully interpreted by a voice and talent beyond her years. However, one of my favorite tracks are not even on the standard version. Hidden away as a bonus gem on the deluxe edition is a peculiar choice of cover, Mew‘s 8-minute arena-rock epic “Comforting Sounds”. At first I was quite curious and a little worried upon seeing its inclusion on the tracklist, and fortunately, Jasmine’s version does not disappoint. It’s a bold move to not only keep the original length, but also play up the scale by filling the latter half with a stirring widescreen string arrangement and Bjork-esque broken beats. Her weary, aching delivery evokes an quietly devastating kind of melancholy. It is just what I expect it to be: a sublime, orchestral piece of end-credits-worthy wallowfest. It’s a great interpretation that I didn’t even think could exist, but I’m glad it does. If you’re down for some pre-holiday gloom, click play. Don’t say I didn’t warn ya.
STREAM: Birdy – Comforting Sounds (Mew Cover)
Covercentric: Birdy Sings Fleet Foxes
Despite not having blogged about her at all, I have slowly developed a soft spot for Birdy, aka Jasmine Van den Bogaerde. The English 15-year-old has got herself quite a unique niche in delivering stirring covers of indie faves like Bon Iver’s “Skinny Love”, and The xx’s “Shelter”. With her debut self-titled album out on November 7, she is giving away a free download of album track “White Winter Hymnal”. Such good timing it is too, considering the Northeast’s unfortunately early winter this year. The Fleet Foxes cover boasts a fuller production than her more minimally arranged singles, and it’s a reliably lovely, soothing ditty. Download it below.
MP3: Birdy – White Winter Hymnal (Fleet Foxes Cover)
I must confess to thoroughly enjoying all her singles so far. There’s something special about Birdy that sets her apart from your average Youtube bedroom warbler. I like her quietly subversive practice of picking these supposedly low-key, marginally obscure indie songs, belting them out for the unfamiliar masses, and granting them new life as future X Factor audition staples. I couldn’t care less if her cover choices are of her own picking or painstakingly narrowed down in a dungeon somewhere by A&R monkeys. At the end of day, it’s melodies being beautifully sung, and that’s enough for me. I expect the album to be essential winter listening.
Watch the video for her latest single, a version of Cherry Ghost’s “People Help The People”, and peep the tracklist after the jump.
