DJ Xero, Operative of SeeDarkly™ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
seedarklyxero) wrote2017-01-15 10:00 am
seedarklyxero) wrote2017-01-15 10:00 am
SeeDarkly Sunday DisCOVERies : We Hear Wailing in the Streets
Welcome to SeeDarkly Sunday DisCOVERies:
a weekly exploration of goth, industrial, & dark alternative cover songs!
First time here? Click here for details from first entry.
Normally this would be the week I feature a "Third Sunday Throwback" to the 20th century, but since I did a "Flashback" on the first of the month, instead this entry will be something more current. Last year at this time, we were grieving the loss of David Bowie. Through 2016, it became difficult or impossible to calm our lamentations in the face of so many significant losses, including that singular one which leads to this moment in time and the concern many share for the future. After his farewell address last week, we now count down the last few days before our 44th U.S. President leaves office. Today's cover might just speak to the spirit of feeling loss:
Vogon Poetry - Mourn (Apoptygma Berzerk)
The Norwegian futurepop band Apoptygma Berzerk released their second studio album, 7, in May 1996. Mourn was its third single, released as an EP in October the following year. One of the most recognizable elements of the track is a distinctive guitar riff recognizable from Nirvana's cover of David Bowie's, The Man Who Sold The World, sampled from their 1993 MTV Unplugged performance. Apop dedicated the song to Kurt Cobain, though there isn't any clear explanation as to why, apart from the obvious heartbreak that many felt at that time. In as much as Apoptygma Berzerk has ever achieved and broad success beyond the sub-culture that most embraces them, Mourn seems to be one of their lesser known songs and doesn't usually rank among their top hits. It's certainly rougher around the edges than their more familiar work and has a rather subdued and distant vocal mix.
The Swedish synthpop trio, Vogon Poetry are doubtless named in honor of the Hitchhiker's Guide book series by the late Douglas Adams, and have referenced them several times in album titles and their music. They provided one of two covers of Mourn included on the Apop We Love You – A Tribute To Apoptygma Berzerk compilation released by the webzine Electrozombies in July 2016. Of the 20 artists on the comp, including Technolorgy, Synapsyche, Machinista, and IIOIOIOII, Vogon Poetry stand out with this sweet and twittering interpretation of the track. They reprise the noteworthy guitar riff electronically and give the vocals much more prominence than the original.
It could be fair to say that many in the goth community are well conversant with feelings of grief but it's plain that the feeling is not exclusive to anyone. This song asks, "why are you always mourning?" These days the answers to that seem regrettably endless.
The Cover:
The Original:
Next week:
Screaming in ironic evangelical anger at the prospects of tomorrow.
Comments, suggestions, discussions, etc... welcome! (You do NOT need a Dreamwidth account to comment, but all comments are screened for spam prevention.)
As of this posting I'm wrapping up my weekend @ Arisia in Boston where I've likely played at least a few of the tracks (or artists) found here on my past NINETY blogs. Next up on my schedule, a trip to Western Mass on the last Friday of the month. Click that link for details. ^_^
Explore the darkness,
-Xero
Previous DisCOVERies
Jan 08 - Vernian Process - The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove (Dead Can Dance)
Jan 01 - Front Line Assembly with Tiffany - New Year's Day (U2)
Dec 25 - Eisenfunk - Jinglefunk [Jingle Bells](Edison Male Quartet)
Dec 18 - Cibo Matto - The Candy Man (Aubrey Woods)
Dec 11 - St. Anthony Jones - Shoulder To The Wheel (:Wumpscut: remix)(Bel Canto)
Dec 04 - Accessory - Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash)
Directory of All Previous DisCOVERies
a weekly exploration of goth, industrial, & dark alternative cover songs!
First time here? Click here for details from first entry.
Normally this would be the week I feature a "Third Sunday Throwback" to the 20th century, but since I did a "Flashback" on the first of the month, instead this entry will be something more current. Last year at this time, we were grieving the loss of David Bowie. Through 2016, it became difficult or impossible to calm our lamentations in the face of so many significant losses, including that singular one which leads to this moment in time and the concern many share for the future. After his farewell address last week, we now count down the last few days before our 44th U.S. President leaves office. Today's cover might just speak to the spirit of feeling loss:
Vogon Poetry - Mourn (Apoptygma Berzerk)
The Norwegian futurepop band Apoptygma Berzerk released their second studio album, 7, in May 1996. Mourn was its third single, released as an EP in October the following year. One of the most recognizable elements of the track is a distinctive guitar riff recognizable from Nirvana's cover of David Bowie's, The Man Who Sold The World, sampled from their 1993 MTV Unplugged performance. Apop dedicated the song to Kurt Cobain, though there isn't any clear explanation as to why, apart from the obvious heartbreak that many felt at that time. In as much as Apoptygma Berzerk has ever achieved and broad success beyond the sub-culture that most embraces them, Mourn seems to be one of their lesser known songs and doesn't usually rank among their top hits. It's certainly rougher around the edges than their more familiar work and has a rather subdued and distant vocal mix.
The Swedish synthpop trio, Vogon Poetry are doubtless named in honor of the Hitchhiker's Guide book series by the late Douglas Adams, and have referenced them several times in album titles and their music. They provided one of two covers of Mourn included on the Apop We Love You – A Tribute To Apoptygma Berzerk compilation released by the webzine Electrozombies in July 2016. Of the 20 artists on the comp, including Technolorgy, Synapsyche, Machinista, and IIOIOIOII, Vogon Poetry stand out with this sweet and twittering interpretation of the track. They reprise the noteworthy guitar riff electronically and give the vocals much more prominence than the original.
It could be fair to say that many in the goth community are well conversant with feelings of grief but it's plain that the feeling is not exclusive to anyone. This song asks, "why are you always mourning?" These days the answers to that seem regrettably endless.
The Cover:
The Original:
Next week:
Screaming in ironic evangelical anger at the prospects of tomorrow.
Comments, suggestions, discussions, etc... welcome! (You do NOT need a Dreamwidth account to comment, but all comments are screened for spam prevention.)
As of this posting I'm wrapping up my weekend @ Arisia in Boston where I've likely played at least a few of the tracks (or artists) found here on my past NINETY blogs. Next up on my schedule, a trip to Western Mass on the last Friday of the month. Click that link for details. ^_^
Explore the darkness,
-Xero
Previous DisCOVERies
Jan 08 - Vernian Process - The Ubiquitous Mr. Lovegrove (Dead Can Dance)
Jan 01 - Front Line Assembly with Tiffany - New Year's Day (U2)
Dec 25 - Eisenfunk - Jinglefunk [Jingle Bells](Edison Male Quartet)
Dec 18 - Cibo Matto - The Candy Man (Aubrey Woods)
Dec 11 - St. Anthony Jones - Shoulder To The Wheel (:Wumpscut: remix)(Bel Canto)
Dec 04 - Accessory - Folsom Prison Blues (Johnny Cash)
Directory of All Previous DisCOVERies