"Jump" by Macromantics

It's Leap Day!

So, here's Melbourne, Australia coffee house hip hop artist Macromantics with her wiggity wiggity wiggity wack cover of "Jump," a 1992 single from pubescent Atlanta, Georgia rap duo Kris Kross.

"No Tears Left to Cry" by Take the Name

 

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania metalcore band Take the Name craft Boca Raton, Florida pop icon Ariana Grande's 2018 dance number "No Tears Left to Cry" into a song that works equally well in the hard rock scene.

"Crash" by Belle and Sebastian

 

Glasgow, Scotland band Belle and Sebastian reinvent the 1988 international hit "Crash" by Coventry, UK power pop band The Primitives in a style that's undoubtedly twee, whatever that means.

For a cover of Belle and Sebastian, Mates of State's version of "Sleep the Clock Around" can be found here.

"Counting Blue Cars" by Chasing Mabel

 Menomonie, Wisconsin quintet Chasing Mabel revamp "Counting Blue Cars," the 1996 post-grunge single from Santa Barbara, California band Dishwalla.

Demographics of Dunn County, WI pulled from census data show 17,257  households.

Car ownership, according to DataUSA, averages out to two per household.

That's approximately 34,514 cars in the community.

According to Edmunds, blue cars account for 11.8% of the vehicles in Wisconsin.

So, if Chasing Mabel sat and watched a procession of each and every car in their county, they would count approximately 4,073 blue ones.

The more you know....

"Memory" by Abandoning Sunday

 

Moscow, Idaho solo artist Abandoning Sunday performs a stripped-down version of Santa Barbara, California outfit Sugarcult's 2004 emo pop song "Memory."

"Please Mr. Postman" by Shut Up and Kiss Me

 

Iasi, Romania acoustic band Shut Up and Kiss Me combine their powerhouse harmonies and upright bass on this remake of 1961 doo wop classic "Please Mr. Postman," originally from Motown artists The Marvelettes.

 

"Rasputin" by We Are the Union

 

Los Angeles, California by way of Ann Arbor, Michigan ska band We Are the Union show off not only their musical chops, but one of the greatest music videos -- like, ever -- on their remake of the 1978 Eurodisco hit "Rasputin" by German Caribbean group Boney M.

For a cover by Boney M, their .... interesting.... take on Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Have You Ever Seen the Rain?" can be found here.

"The Sound of Silence" by Nini Music

 

I'm partial to cover songs with vocals. This is true.

However, Taiwanese artist Nini Music rocks the zhongruan while Joy bows the ehru on this Asian Folk instrumental version of Simon and Garfunkel's 1964 release "The Sound of Silence," and it's nothing short of magical.

Plus, the lyrics are added via closed captioning, so if you need a vocal track, feel free to add it ya own self.   

For more Simon and Garfunkel covers, The Bangles' version of "Hazy Shade of Winter" can be found here, and Vandaveer's version of "Homeward Bound" can be found here.

"Rock Me Amadeus" by Cranial Screwtop

 

Manchester, UK punk band Cranial Screwtop tear through "Rock Me Amadeus," the 1985 synth pop chart topper from Austrian musician Falco.

Bad news for Falco.... Amadeus hasn't rocked anything since the Requiem in D Minor, released at the tail end of 1791.  

"Bye Bye Bye" by Vixxin

 

Orlando, Florida boy band NSYNC have their 2000 teen breakup ode "Bye Bye Bye" covered by Tasmanian she-devils Vixxin.  

They recently played the Royal Hobart Regatta, which I missed on account of being over 10,000 miles away.  

Maybe next year.

"Peaches" by Busted

 

It's Presidents Day, AKA the day that everyone ELSE in the household has off.

So, to celebrate all of the previous presidents sans one, here's Essex, UK pop punk band Busted with their version of "Peaches," the syrupy and delicious 1996 single from The Presidents of the United States of America.

For a cover by PUSA, their version of "Video Killed the Radio Star" can be found here.

"Somebody to Love" by 50 Foot Wave

 

Kristin Hersh project 50 Foot Wave make a splash with their version of "Somebody to Love," the 1967 hit from San Francisco, California acid rock band Jefferson Airplane.

For another Jefferson Airplane cover, Ladyhawke's version of "White Rabbit" can be found here.

"Bad Guy" by Carver Commodore

 

Alabama rock band Carver Commodore throw down on their version of "Bad Guy," the 2019 single from Los Angeles, California trap-pop artist Billie Eilish.

Duh.

For another Eilish cover, Rain Paris's version of "Therefore I Am" can be found here.

"Wave of Mutilation" by Sacoyan

 

Boston, Massachusetts noise pop band Pixies had their 1989 single "Wave of Mutilation" covered by Sacoyan.

Based on past tour dates in Sapporo and Fukuoka, it is likely that Sacoyan are based out of Kyushu, Japan.

Though a translation of their band name isn't readily available, Word Hippo found a similar Filipino word "sakyan," which means to mount or to ride.

For more Pixies covers, Jumbo's version of "Here Comes Your Man" can be found here, and Tkay Maidza's version of "Where Is my Mind?" can be found here.

"(I Just) Died in Your Arms" by Dommin

 

Los Angeles, California goth-tinged  Dommin cover "(I Just) Died in Your Arms," a 1986 new wave single from London, UK pop rock band Cutting Crew.

Contrary to what the song's lyrics imply, Cutting Crew singer Nick Van Eede did not die in anyone's arms, and is still hanging about Sussex, UK at the age of 65.

"When You Sleep" by EverSame

 

Happy Valentine's Day!

Here are Bratislava, Slovakia teen band EverSame with their acoustic rendition of 1991 shoegaze single "When You Sleep" from Dublin, Ireland experimental rockers My Bloody Valentine.

"Use Somebody" by Infinity Song

 

The Infinity Song cover of Mt Juliet, Tennessee garage rock revival band Kings of Leon starts with a single guy singing while strumming along on his guitar in a New York City apartment.

The camera pans over, and shows four of his siblings, who slowly add instruments into the mix, before...... WHAMMO!  Stunning five-part harmonies.  

This is something that even Kings of Leon couldn't pull off.

You may think that's unfair to Kings of Leon, as they have only four members, so five part harmonies would not be possible.

You know, I'm tired of their excuses.

Step up your harmony game, Kings of Leon.

For another Kings of Leon cover, Iron Horse's version of "Taper Jean Girl" can be found here.

"Just a Friend" by Tally Hall

 

Members of Ann Arbor, Michigan progressive pop band Tally Hall were also involved with a comedy troupe, so it's fitting that the lines between sincere respect and tongue-in-cheek joking on their rendition of Long Island, New York clown prince of hip hop Biz Markie's 1989 hit "Just a Friend" are blurred to the point of being indistinguishable.

"All Star" by St Basic

 

Norman, Oklahoma cubs St Basic rock down to Sheridan Avenue on their remake of Smash Mouth's 1999 infectious sing along "All Star."

If this isn't video evidence that every fledgling band needs a kazoo solo, I don't know what is.

For a cover by Smash Mouth, their version of "Don't You (Forget About Me)" can be found here.

"Coming Too Close" by Taking Over Mars

 

Slovenian band Taking Over Mars emulate Sunnyvale, California melodic skate punks No Use for a Name on their live rendition of 1999 single "Coming Too Close."

"That Don't Impress Me Much" by Bad Bad Hats

 

Minneapolis, Minnesota indie pop band Bad Bad Hats are completely underwhelmed on their version of "That Don't Impress Me Much," the 1997 ode to being disinterested by Ontario, Canada country crossover artist Shania Twain.

For another Shania Twain cover, Flavio's version of "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" can be found here.

"Steady, As She Goes" by JackRabbit Tempo

 

JackRabbit Tempo loudify the basement on their remake of 2006 hit "Steady, As She Goes," the debut single from Detroit, Michigan garage band The Raconteurs.

From what I can gather, JackRabbit Tempo has members in Cincinnati, Ohio and northern Kentucky.... which sound like they're worlds away from each other, but, in reality, are less than 8 miles apart along Interstate 471.

"All the Things She Said" by Dream Wife

 

British/Icelandic pop punk trio Dream Wife performed a live cover of "All the Things She Said," the catchy 2002 Eurodance single from Moscow, Russia teen duo t.A.T.u. 

The official video was highly controversial upon release, as the two shared a passionate kiss in the rain.

Because both singers were seventeen at the time, if you enjoy that visual a bit much, Chris Hansen would like you to have a seat.

"Kodachrome" by Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band

 

Was never a fan of Omaha, Nebraska emo indie folkie Bright Eyes, but love this remake of Paul Simon's 1973 single "Kodachrome" that he performed with the Mystic Valley Band.

Unfortunately, in June of 2009, Mama and Kodak took his Kodachrome away.

Nikon cameras are still a thing, including this one that costs nearly four times as much as my first car.

"Sad!" by ASTR

 

New York City electronic duo ASTR do the impossible when they take the 2018 song "Sad!" from Plantation, Florida rapper XXXTentacion and make it listenable.  

"Gangsta's Paradise" by EMD

 

"Gangsta's Paradise," the 1995 single from Los Angeles, California based dangerous mind Coolio was remade by Swedish boy band EMD.

Because there are few things more Gangsta than a Swedish boy band.

Abercrombie Mafia.... represent.

"Hysteria" by Spinning Jenny

 

Wheeling, West Virginia area Dad and Daughters combo Spinning Jenny cover 2003 modern rock track "Hysteria" from Devon, UK art rock band Muse.

For another Muse cover, The Pretty Reckless version of "Madness" can be found here.

"I Got You Babe" by Mudpie

 

Welp.  It's Groundhog Day.  Again.

This year's version of Sonny and Cher's 1965 folk pop single "I Got You Babe" comes to us from San Antonio, Texas Southern blues band Mudpie.

Along with subtle nods to The Beatles and Poison.

Toadsuck Symphony's version can be found here, and Night Bird's version can be found here.

"February" by Rebecca Wright

 

Happy first day of February!

Here's "February," originally released in 1996 by Mount Kisko, New York folk pop artist Dar Williams, covered by Australian singer, guitarist and cellist Rebecca Wright.

Wait, she's a cellist.... where's the cello?  WHERE IS THE CELLO?