'Ahk-toong Bay-bi' Covered: Q magazine CD

[bonocomet]

I also ordered from the Newstand UK site and received it here in the USA last week or so with the CD and no problems. Just got around to listening finally and was pretty surprised by my unexpected preferences. I'd been looking forward to NIN and Gavin Friday the most, and Garbage, the Fray and Glasvegas the least.

Turns out I was disappointed in NIN and Snow Patrol, the later I found very boring. Killers and Jack White were good as I expected. Gavin, was okay but I expected better with such great subject matter. And I was pleasantly surprised by Garbage, The Fray and Glasvegas. All three get a from me.

Ya just never know!

 

[last unicorn]

Ultraviolet had me cringing at the first words out of Brandon Flowers' mouth, but it got better, mainly because I liked the music going on behind his voice.

Haha, I had similar feelings when listening to the Killers' version of UV. I hadn't really expected to like that one since I have never been a fan of the Killers and never been able to understand why so many liked them and their music. I can't stand Brandon's voice. The music is good, but the song is much too poppy for me. But then again, I've never been a really huge fan of Ultraviolet as a song, no matter how cool the live version was.

I haven't listened to the cover album in a while now since I mostly focus on the Kindergarten and B Sides stuff that came with the AB Boxset, but my opinion of the cover versions hasn't changed much since I first heard them. Sill love the NIN cover, still don't like the DM version of So Cruel, and I'm still pleasently surprised by the Fray and Glasvegas. Everything else is somewhere in between. All of these versions are interesting and I think the CD, as a whole, is a very good idea, I enjoy listening to other bands' takes on U2 songs, even if it turns out that I don't actually like all of that.

 

[morgan1098]

I got an e-mail from LiveNation today saying that due to overwhelming demand, the magazine/CD are on backorder and that they expect to be able to ship more copies "in 1-4 weeks." Wow, that's a pretty broad estimate.

 

[alanah]

Thanks.. that should explain why I didn´t get my copy yet.

 

[Chrisedge]

I got my LN order, but also ordered another from newsstand...thinking LN would not deliver.

 

[stealthboy]

Still waiting on my LN order here... I guess for me I assumed the order would never work, so it's like I was throwing money away. If it ever shows up, it'll be a surprise!

 

[Pop Artist]

Are these still plentiful on the newsstands in the UK? Reason I ask is that I still have no clue when the copy from u2.com is arriving, and I am headed to London Thursday night so I may as well just get it then if it isn't sold out.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

My suggestion to Brandon Flowers.

 

[corianderstem]

... I don't get it.

 

[doctorwho]

Earlier, I wrote that I felt Jack White's version of LIB, but after a few repeated listens, I enjoy his interpretation. I still feel he over-sings it a bit, ala a certain cover of "One", but there's a pain in his voice showing he "gets it". Blige's version of "One" seemed more about her showing off her vocal abilities. Maybe that's not true at all, but that's how I heard it. She's a great singer - but sometimes subtlety works. That's why I loved U2's more understated version of LIB. For such a complex album and time, the simplicity of U2's LIB was the perfect way to close the album. The pain, the tenderness, an ache and a sorrow - it summed up AB brilliantly. As a one off, though, White does a good job.

I do admit to adjusting to the slower versions of some songs. Patti Smith's version of "Until the End..." was interesting and I rather enjoyed it, but I do feel Snow Patrol went the wrong way with MW. Friday's version of "The Fly" was almost exactly how I envisioned he'd sing it. In fact, I often felt Bono was a bit influenced by Friday when he recorded "The Fly".

I'm still listening having just received the CD. Opinions may change. I hope those still waiting for their CD's get their copy soon.

 

[howlinrock]

So will this copy of Q with the CD hit US magazine stands this week? Or is this only available in the UK?

 

[LuckyNumber7]

... I don't get it.

I was at a Killers show...

 

[bonocomet]

So will this copy of Q with the CD hit US magazine stands this week? Or is this only available in the UK?

It's already hit stands in some places in the US. And without the CD. I've seen it in San Diego with no CD, and I know someone else mentioned the same but I can't remember which city. Unfortunately the magazine looks like it won't have the cd as they were just the normal cover without the flap that held the cd on the magazine.

 

[corianderstem]

I was at a Killers show...

Ohhhh, and you made that as a sign. Gotcha.

 

[subnet]

i am disappointed David Bowie didn't provide a cover.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

Ohhhh, and you made that as a sign. Gotcha.

Should've brought it for night 2. Jack White was there with The Raconteurs.

 

[breathe]

ok why is every song on this SOOOOOO SLOW holy lord i love the different versions but how can u make Mysterious Ways slow? i mean i love snow patrol but damm I think its a pretty cool Album just extremely slow

 

[LuckyNumber7]

When artists try to be creative and cover a song that's always the 'creative' thing to do. And usually with a piano on the cover to make up for all of the other instruments.

It usually fails, although some good examples of where the cliche cover doesn't fail are still out there. I think Depeche Mode did it right, but that's their style really. Another good example would be the cover of Tears For Fears 'Mad World' by Gary Jules.

But for every one of those there are a thousand 'oh hey look, same song slowed down and made acoustic/paino'.

Just my take though.

 

[topplehatU2]

When artists try to be creative and cover a song that's always the 'creative' thing to do. And usually with a piano on the cover to make up for all of the other instruments.

It usually fails, although some good examples of where the cliche cover doesn't fail are still out there. I think Depeche Mode did it right, but that's their style really. Another good example would be the cover of Tears For Fears 'Mad World' by Gary Jules.

But for every one of those there are a thousand 'oh hey look, same song slowed down and made acoustic/paino'.

Just my take though.

Which is why I find the Damien Rice cover so dull.

 

[bono_man2002]

Never thought Mysterious Ways could ever be so depressing. I guess I was wrong

 

[bonocomet]

Never thought Mysterious Ways could ever be so depressing. I guess I was wrong

Yeah agreed. I called it boring before, but it's downright dreary.

 

[sindaddy]

It's available on iTunes. $7.99 for charity

 

[digitize]

It's available on iTunes. $7.99 for charity

That's great. I'll definitely buy it that way.

 

[redhill]

ok why is every song on this SOOOOOO SLOW holy lord i love the different versions but how can u make Mysterious Ways slow? i mean i love snow patrol but damm I think its a pretty cool Album just extremely slow

Same dang thing I thought!

I was really looking forward to hearing some harder-edged and rocked out versions of a lot of these songs (as many of them lend themselves well towards that I think)....especially NIN....and was saddened to hear artists turn in these pansy covers!

I don't mind a different take (like Fray or Jack White) if it is done well but why so slooooow when it is one of U2's harder albums (for them at least) overall?!

 

[trevgreg]

It's available on iTunes. $7.99 for charity

Thanks for the heads up. Now I don't have to look for that darn Q magazine over here anymore!

UV, So Cruel, LIB, and WGRYWH are all alright to me. Not spectacular, but not bad either. The others ones I still need to listen to a bit more, though I'm already convinced that Snow Patrol needs to stop covering songs as slow as humanly possibly (and I'm not even biased towards them either).

 

[cobl04]

Yeah agreed. I called it boring before, but it's downright dreary.

Not going far enough. It is offensively bad.

 

[LuckyNumber7]

The music isn't bad (if it wasn't supposed to be Mysterious Ways).

The vocals are just atrocious though.

 

[last unicorn]

The more I listen to it, the more I hate Snow Patrols cover of MW and the more I like the Fray covering TTTYAATW (I hate this acronym ).

Most of the covers are so-so, I still skip Depeche Mode and the Killers, because Brandon Flowers' voice and the poppy Killers sound kind of make me aggressive.

 

[redhill]

The more I listen to it, the more I hate Snow Patrols cover of MW and the more I like the Fray covering TTTYAATW (I hate this acronym ).

Most of the covers are so-so, I still skip Depeche Mode and the Killers, because Brandon Flowers' voice and the poppy Killers sound kind of make me aggressive.

You know what's weird? TTTYA, WGRYWH, and LIB seem to be them most interesting / exciting from both the cover CD and the Baby CD (and horses and lib get featured more prominently on the FTSD doc than most other Achtung songs.)

Also, TTTYA was soundchecked and experimented with for the 360 tour... Kinda cool how that song has been getting some love recently ;]

Anyway...word life.

 

[trevgreg]

Also, TTTYA was soundchecked and experimented with for the 360 tour... Kinda cool how that song has been getting some love recently ;]

I absolutely loved when Bono sang part of the chorus at the end of MW in Chicago last summer. Not only was it fun to hear, but it fit perfectly over the end too. I still listen to that version quite often actually.