Boy George Covers Lana Del Rey’s ‘Video Games’
Alternatively, I suppose you could title this one – ‘one polarizing pop star of the 1980’s-2000’s covers a tune from 2012’s most polarizing pop starlet.’ If Del Rey’s imagery is used to speak to a wisdom beyond her years, George’s vocal take on the track shows that wisdom personified within those years. While Mike Nicholls’ directs the video below that attempts to subvert the vocals with fresh faced youth amidst a lost weekend, it’s George’s ghost-like vocals that are the real star here…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gFz0i8iqbGo]
Lana Del Rey Covers Nirvana’s ‘Heart-Shaped Box’
Thankfully this two-and-a-half minute live cover is only half the time of the original. Listen, Lana was already preaching to my choir at the start of the year, with her brand of retro-pop spun with grandeur and slick production value. Save for rumored trysts with Marilyn Manson (unconfirmed) and Axl Rose (somewhat alluded to by Del Rey), she’s mostly disappeared off our radars. But a couple of strategically timed videos for single ‘National Anthem,’ and bonus track ‘Summertime Sadness,’ and suddenly Del Rey is stoking the promotional fires again. If I were Cobain, I’d probably be rolling over in my grave. Fortunately, Courtney Love (and her own Heart-Shaped Box) are still roaming the earth so expect a cease-and-desist order any minute…
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1OWSFo9ZEc]
The Darkness Covers Radiohead’s ‘Street Spirit (Fade Out)’
I’ll round out this trifecta with something awesome. If you ever wondered what Radiohead’s lilting closing track off of 1995’s The Bends would sound like at full-tilt AC/DC level abandon, wonder no more. Remember the band that hit it big with ‘Get Your Hands (Off of My Woman)’ and ‘Growing On Me,’ back in 2003? Yeah, that was The Darkness and they subsequently derailed with lead singer Justin Hawkin’s breakdown and rehab for drug and alcohol addiction back in 2005. They re-grouped in 2011 and like similar phoenix-rising success stories Buckcherry, the band is mounting a serious comeback with their new album Hot Cakes set for release on August 21st. This teaser, which will be featured on said album is in two words, ‘Simply awesome.’
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=97IcMvkyw-Y]