I blame you for the moonlit sky and the dream that died with the Eagle's flight

All right, so yesterday's "next up" description wasn't quite right (as usual, it seems).

I can be kind of hypocritical about covers. As a general rule, I say I'm not in favor of them--I'd rather have an original song and often (though certainly this could apply to original songs as well) they just seem lazy (see a certain future Sir Robin's second non-holiday album). On the other hand, I'm fascinated by the recycled songs circuit (even if I'm not always a fan of it) and there's a good chance that if a current singer covers a song from the '80's or earlier or even probably early '90's, I'll prefer it to the original (though that might have something to do more with production techniques and so on). I know, like any sort of song, there are both good and bad covers, but I just have a particularly complex relationship with them.

Bryan Rice's first album was a prime example of that recycling of songs I mentioned earlier, and I kind of have a mini-obsession with documenting all the originals and covers of the songs on it.

His second album, released this fall, is a different story. I haven't yet pinpointed any "recycled" songs on it, but there is definitely a cover, and it's one of my favorite songs on the album. I imagine if you're a true fan of the original, which was a hit for British singer Tasmin Archer in 1992, there's a good chance you won't like this version, but I do. We still have the original artist who co-wrote the song and the other writers to thank for its quality, and whether I like this version as a companion to the original because it's more modern sounding or (knowing me, probably more likely) it's got a male singer, I'm not sure. You'd think, in this version, the song would be a bit one man boy band ballad sounding, but I don't think it is, and it still keeps the mysterious edge of the original. Plus, I have a relationship with Bryan similar to the one I have with Anders Johansson--something about them just rely endears them to me, even while I know their music will be too bland for some.

Sleeping Satellite

To buy Bryan Rice's second album Good News, go here (physical) or here (digital).

On a completely unrelated note, French singer Lorie's new album, 2lor en moi?, just came out and, while I freely admit that it's probably just overproduced shiny dance-pop, I'm really intrigued--heck, that probably just makes me want it more. I may pick it up as soon as I have money again; I'm really liking some of the preview clips of it, especially "Play" (is that a sample?), and I still love "Je vais vite." Apparently (maybe) she's also involved in a single theoretically being promoed to the rest of Europe and the U.S. called "Lonely." You can listen to a clip of the song, credited to 2AM feat. Lorie, here.