Bon Jovi: Youtube Salutes You!

There's a million Bon Jovi covers on Youtube; some bands, some soloists, and the rest just drunken Prayer karaoke. A lot aren't great, but some really are, I've picked out a couple of my favourites to share which are all soloists with accompaniments; you're a lot more exposed which is, I feel, much better. And of course, I wasn't going to miss the chance for a shameless plug so I've stuck mine on at the end ;)

Mudslideslim - New Tracks

Check out the new tracks available at Mudslideslim's Myspace page now! Featured are Memory and Nightmare; Memory is a moody-acoustic driven affair, sombre yet passionate with a definitive progressive feel as the track grows and grows. It dips in all the right places when it reaches a peak, and I completely get the Radiohead and Tom Waits influences.

Nightmare is thick in texture with chunky acoustic guitar but still reflects the sombre atmosphere of Memory. I love the vocal harmonies here, in fact overall the track in general I really like; the vocal melodies really compliment the simple yet effective chord progression and the song has an almost haunting-Johnny Cash inspired feel. I'd love to experience this live with a band, perhaps some cello and more harmonies and even a harmonica to really pack the final punch.

These tracks are well worth a listen, and the album is out now. For more info, check out his Reverb Nation page and enjoy.

(You Want To) Make A Memory - Bon Jovi cover

Here's my second attempt at uploading a Bon Jovi cover into the cyber abyss, please excuse the over-excited Budgie in the background...

New Artist Alert: The Spies



Both terms 'indie' and 'college rock' as ways of definining a genre hardly jump out at me as one worth much of a listen, however The Spies from Los Angeles have definitely got the sound down to a tee. Liquer from white-rimmed party cups is definitely flowing and the garage door is up, the band staring out at the teens falling about on the driveway of their suburban lives as they pound through National Pastime, an energetic track driven hard by the constant guitar riff and lyric-laden verses. I can almost see the slow-mo scenes in the video where the girls have got the hosepipe out. Anyway, I'm digressing. The music is taking me on a journey in my mind; painting a picture of what the media would have us believe downtown LA must be like. I love the bridge section as the feroicty subsides allowing some much-needed room for the vocals and guitar to breathe before it builds for one last chorus.

Also worth a listen is the short You Got Some Nerve. Slower-paced than its predecessor, the vocals here sound really cool with the underlying whistly, winding keys. It's a cool and boppy-funk kind of track in the verses before exploding into mirage of various half-time/double-time measures. It's short and sweet; perhaps a little too short, not enough seems to be explored musically in the near-three minute offering. Title-track Televolution harbours an obvious message behind a funky, chunky riff-driven backdrop and sticks well to the 'college rock' instruction on the side of the tin, whilst hinting at an older rock 'n roll feel at times. If you're a fan of this kind of music, I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

For a sample listen to the album, Televolution, check out the band's Digital Press Kit or if you prefer it the old fashioned way, head over to their Myspace page. Enjoy!

New Artist Alert: French Crops

Hailing from London, this post-punk/ska/funk outfit appeared in my inbox yesterday (not literally, that would be mental) and I wanted to share with you their infectious noise. Citing such prestigious influences that diversely range from The Specials to The Clash, this 5-piece showcase "hard hitting tunes with melodic move-your-feet guitar riffs".

A couple of tracks stuck out for me, Burden with it's dingy, progressive opening riff and rockney-heavy vocals; these guys give a flavour of The Cure/Specials/Chilis throughout with a slightly heavier edge. The Avery sounds like something straight off of the FIFA series soundtrack, with it's vocal-led melody and energetic hook; the driving semi-quavers on the hi-hats relentlessly pushing and threatening to leave everyone else behind as the lead guitar attempts to steal the limelight. This is a furiously fast track packed full to the brim. Roll of the Dice is another foot-stomper, I can't keep still listening to the rootsy-sound of new London funkpunk (you heard it here first) and am really enjoying the capability and indeed awareness displayed within their song-writing. If I could sum up our capital city in a band, I think it might be the ironically named French Crops. I see neither Parisian architecture nor fields full of vegetables ready for harvest, but the band have definitely captured the energy and bustle of London and turned it into a hard-hitting bunch of songs.

As per, check out the band's Myspace page and have a listen for yourself. And if you like what you hear, make sure you let them know!

His Name Is Tico!

Something now for not just the Bon Jovi fans, but DRUMMERS as well! Here, Tico Torres of Bon Jovi talks about the Remo heads he uses live and in the studio, and gives a mini demo at the end of the interview. For a man of very few solos and a totally underrated drummer it's quite a rare glimpse of something besides the regimented 2 and 4 of his Bon Jovi offerings.

Ellie Goulding - Your Song

Check out the video for Ellie's cover of Elton John's Your Song. It's simple but effective; the video has a real homely feel to it, and seems to show a real personal side to her, almost as if expressing how she's still human and normal since having been rocketed into fame. None of the passion is lost with her much gentler vocals, a really nice cover in all.



On the Jovi front, it's been a busy couple of weeks! I was at the cinema last night with about 20 other people to watch the New Meadowlands show; I guess there aren't many Bon Jovi fans in Southampton! It felt a bit weird clapping and singing along in a cinema, but by the end it was all good fun. A really cool show too, really showed off the band well, even though it was only ever going to be seen my diehards. The sound wasn't actually too bad in the cinema, a totally new way of watching a concert which I really enjoyed.

In the UK, Bon Jovi are the cover story for the Big Issue, priced at £1.70, with 85p going to the vendor; something I'm sure Jon is all the happier for. There's an a4 sized headshot of him inside sporting a greying beard, but of course he pulls it off.

And on the personal front, I've (Birds In Flight) got a busy next couple of weeks with gigs in Southampton that I'm of course looking forward to. We recorded last week so once it's all mixed and mastered we'll be setting up a Myspace page and I'll be able to share it with you then. For now, have a great weekend :)