NFT's Got You Covered - Favorite Covers of 2014!

Some covers from 2014!

Invalids - Lemmings from I Guess this is Growing Up (Volume 1)



Every wondered what it would be like if Blink 182 jumped into the twinkle daddy game in 2014? Well, Pete Davis AKA Invalids has the answer in his virtuoso-has-nothing-on-me cover of "Lemmings" from Cheshire Cat (1996).

Pharmakon - Bang Bang from Bestial Burden (bonus track)



I first heard Nancy Sinatra's original after witnessing it in Kill Bill Vol. 1 when I was too young to really appreciate either. This version by Sacred Bones noisemaker Margaret Chardiet definitely would have fit right in with Tarantino's revengesploitation fetish.

You Blew It! - Surf Wax America from You Blue It!



Not as different as the Blink 182 cover above, but this Blue Album Weezer cover is a very fun rework of a song that gets barely any recognition. Props to You Blew It! for making a song that could easily fit in a future Tony Hawk game (I can wish) as well.

The Body & Thou - Terrible Lie (live from Gilead Fest)

While I will never actually know what this song sounded like (recordings were destroyed by the sheer power and heaviness of this performance and only a Youtube video surfaced), I'm gonna have to go with this video over the original by Nine Inch Nails.


These Arms Are Snakes - Energy Drink And The Long Walk Home from Sex Beat



The original is actually less synth-y than this final recording ever made by post hardcore legends, These Arms Are Snakes. This track was originally going to be released on a Split with another band that came about after Botch's breakup, Minus the Bear, but it never saw the light of day. The aforementioned original is by Lost Sounds, a band featuring Alicja Trout and Jay Reatard.

Black Math Horseman - All Apologies from In Utero: In Tribute



This Record Store Day Nirvana tribute was another release that took years to finally materialize. While it also includes a never-before-released track by These Arms Are Snakes (covering "Heart-Shaped Box"), I have to give praise to the now-defunct Black Math Horseman for their re-imaged apocalyptic doom cover of "All Apologies". I also have a very soft spot for dueling female/male vocals.

Chance the Rapper - Wonderful Everyday (Arthur Theme) [ft. The Social Experiment]



This is not your everyday cover of Arthur's Theme song by Ziggy Marley. I might elaborate on this more later when I talk about my favorite albums of the year but something about listening to a lot of reggae music including the original Arthur's Theme went from being a playful joke to really getting me through some bummer summer moments. This song might not be reggae or even a straight-forward cover, but it still has that uber-positive message to it. Plus, it's sung by Chance the Rapper, someone who is never always positive-sounding (see his next single: "No Better Blues").

Graves at Sea - Orchid/Lord of this World from This Place is Poison



There's people that say they like metal and don't listen to Black Sabbath in 2014. I Know, I've read it online. Luckily for you, I got the memo and wanted to remind you that it's still cool to listen to Black Sabbath - including their 1971 release Master of Reality. Once you are done listening to Master of Reality check out this incredible two-part sludge cover of "Orchid" and "Lord of this World" by Graves at Sea.

SLOTHS - Breadcrumb Trail from Casa de Diversion Covers Vol. 3



Portland, Oregon's SLOTHS could not have released this Slint cover at a better time. Along with Slint's documentary entitled Breadcrumb Trail released this year, the grown-up kids from Kentucky decided to get back together and have a real reunion tour. I can't say I have been to too many reunion shows in my day, but I wasn't gonna miss this one. SLOTHS incredible rendition of "Breadcrumb Trail" will forever remind me of finishing a day of finals in Northern Maine to my lone trek through Boston traffic for the perfect parking spot. The Show? Well, Slint will remind me of that...

Bonus:

Have you heard Primus's re-imagination of the Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory soundtrack? I had not until I watched this fan-made sync-up of the classic 1971 movie with Primus and the Fungi Ensemble's Willy Wonka renditions: