"Drive" by The Golden Filter

 

Experimental electronic art project The Golden Filter register on the darkwave spectrum with their reworking of 1984 adult contemporary ballad "Drive" from Boston, Massachusetts new wave pioneers The Cars.

According to the Secondhand Songs website, the Golden Filter are an American band formed in New York City.

Per their Bandcamp site, the duo hails from London, UK.

So, they're probably from the halfway point, which can't be determined using the website whatshalfway.com. They're from somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.  

For another Cars cover, Sister Hazel's "Just What I Needed" can be found here.

"Holly Holy" by UB40

 

Neil Diamond's 1969 gospel infused single "Holly Holy" was reworked in a dub reggae style by Birmingham, UK rags to riches group UB40.

UB40 derived their name from an unemployment benefits form used in England, as the eight founding members of the band were all state dependents prior to their meteoric rise to stardom.

They were aided in this journey to fame on the strength of a few cover songs.... the most popular being another from Neil Diamond, their 1983 version of "Red, Red Wine."

For a cover by Neil Diamond, his version of "Monday, Monday" can be found here.

"Little Lies" by Hilary Duff

 

"Little Lies" was a 1987 release from London, UK soft rock luminaries Fleetwood Mac.

1987 was also the year that frequent Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award nominee Hilary Duff was released in Houston, Texas.

So, it's oddly fitting that the teen idol performed a dance pop cover of this hit from her birth year.

For another Fleetwood Mac cover, The Cranberries' version of "Go Your Own Way" can be found here.

"No Easy Way Out" by The Protomen

 

Bayonne, New Jersey singer songwriter Robert Tepper's 1986 AOR single "No Easy Way Out" is best known for being the backbone of an Apollo Creed flashback montage in the film "Rocky IV".

If he dies, he dies.

In the hands of Murfreesboro, Tennessee Nintendocore band The Protomen, the song sounds like it could be used in a split screen montage of clips from both "Rocky IV" and "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly."

"Hanging by a Moment" by Four Sexes

 

Bloomington, Indiana lounge act Four Sexes transform 2000 single "Hanging by a Moment" from Los Angeles, California post-grunge band Lifehouse into a retro-jazz arrangement.

Though there's little information on the interwebs regarding their band name, my working theory is that they took their moniker from the white-throated sparrow, a bird found to have four sexes according to research from a pair of scientists and professors out of Indiana State University.

If it's humans that we're talking about, Jewish texts dating back thousands of years recognize six distinct sexes.

Which is good to know, if Four Sexes ever decide that they need to add a couple of auxiliary band members.

"Hash Pipe" by Toto

 

Los Angeles, California geek rock band Weezer's 2001 single "Hash Pipe" was expertly recrafted by retro rockers Toto.

I'm happy to see that the band behind soft rock staples like "Hold the Line" and "Rosanna" wasn't averse to performing a song about a transvestite hooker.

For a cover of a Toto song, Love Canon's version of "Africa" can be found here.

For another cover of Weezer, Glowbug's version of "El Scorcho" can be found here.

"Maria" by Underclass

 

I was really stoked to find a band that I thought was from Turkey.

But, no.  Turku Rock Academy is in Finland, home of pop punk band Underclass.

This is their punchy rendition of "Maria," the 1999 release from New York City new wave band Blondie.

For another Blondie cover, Heartworms' version of "Sunday Girl" can be found here.