Partly stealing the idea from my friend Nick and partly because I did this last year and absolutely love being timely and consistent with my posts, I now present my opinions on the music that came out this past year (and also concur with Nick's opinion that 2011 was a stellar year for music).
Top 10 Cover Songs
10. Sarah Darling, U2's "With or Without You"
A quiet, sweet cover of U2's classic ballad by a talented young country singer I had the pleasure of seeing live this summer (even though I generally don't like country music). Also she's originally from Des Moines and graduated from SE Polk, facts I did not yet know when I became a fan of hers. So that's cool.
9. Amanda Palmer, Nirvana's "Polly"
For the album's 20th anniversary, Spin Magazine commissioned a variety of artists to cover every track of Nirvana's "Nevermind." The result were...mixed, to be polite. But Palmer's version of "Polly" kicks all kinds of ass.
8. Fiona Apple and Jon Brion, Buddy Holly's "Everyday"
Fiona Apple. Buddy Holly. 'Nuff said.
7. Florence + The Machine, Robert Palmer's "Addicted to Love"
Released this year as part of a collection of b-sides from the band's 2009 album "Lungs." Like everything she sings, Florence Welch makes this one her own.
6. Beautiful Small Machines, MIA's "Paper Planes"
This is an alternate version of their MIA cover that the band released early to their fans, the regular version of which will be released on an EP in 2012.
5. Ladytron, Death in June's "Little Black Angel"
Included as a new track on their Greatest Hits album, and later released as a single.
4. Lissie, Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance"
I'm a Lady Gaga fan, yet I may actually like Lissie's version of the song better.
3. Dum Dum Girls, The Smiths' "There Is A Light That Never Goes Out"
I definitely prefer this version to the original. But I also hate The Smiths, so this preference makes more sense.
2. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross featuring Karen O., Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song"
From the soundtrack to The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and featured in the movie's trailer, this is exactly the kind of aggressive coolness you'd expect from a Zeppelin/Reznor/Ross/O mash-up.
1. Q Magazine, U2's entire "Achtung Baby"
Like Spin did with Nirvana's milestone album, Q Magazine had a collection of artists pay tribute to every track on U2's "Achtung Baby", with far better results than Spin's effort. So I'm using that as a chance to cheat and post multiple songs under one entry, because I can.
The Killers, "Ultraviolet"
Brandon Flowers was born to cover Bono.
The Fray, "Trying To Throw Your Arms Around The World"
I usually hate The Fray, but they sure do a good job with this one.
Jack White, "Love Is Blindness"
It's Jack White, of course this was going to be good.
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