Version
I'm really feeling the new Mark Ronson album 'Version'. 
Hip Hop kid and "male Paris Hilton" (on account of his families wealth rather than him also starring in a series of porno films and lack of knickers photos) has ditched the harder Hip Hop sound of his last album 'Here Comes The Fuzz' for a funkier, live band feel.
The concept for the album is a simple one: do a load of indie cover versions in a funk/soul style with a load of well known singers and/or regular collaborators so you get Lily Allen covering the Kaiser Chiefs over Barry White style funk beats; Amy Winehouse covering The Zutons over Motown drums, pianos and horns and even Stig's mate Robbie Williams doing a passable Charlatans impression over James Brown style funky drumming and even though the concept sounds like a trendy mag's ultimate dream but it actually really works.
Check the album out and let me know what you think - am I losing my touch or is this album heavy?
Comments
Post your commentI might check it later but as I've right now I'm saying least appetising album description of all time.
I checked the album and I prefer the Beyonce and Shakira Duet. Regardless, I'm listening to your programme and everything is great. Cheers from Miami Florida.
On the whole the album's good. I'm a sucker for funky drum loops and Amy Winehouse is an excellent singer so naturally I'm loving the track "Valerie". The album has some quality, "get up and dance" beats which are further improved by having some of the highest quality recording equipment available, giving a fantastically clear, "live" sound on all the instruments.
Pretty much all my gripes with the albums are vocals related. I don't think Mark Ronson chose some very good songs to cover though, lots of the songs lyrics are poor and so are some of the singers. Also the production effects laid down on the vocals are another downer, in most cases they don't fit the track's style. I understand the necessisity of changing Robbie Williams' voice until it's almost unrecognisable and so I can't really criticise any for that. I also have to commend "arena" style echo on the Amy Winehouse number, which actually adds to the song.
The one thing this album really didn't need was "Toxic". You can't polish a turd, no way, no how. Tigger is a decent singer but is wasted on those lyrics. I hesitate as I say this but I think that Ol' Dirty's verse tipped it over the edge and made it worse than the Spears original(regardless of what you think of Wu-Tang, it's a bad verse and in the wrong song). Unfortunately Mark Ronson, far from polishing this turd, has actually poked it with a stick, now it smells worse than ever.
Like I said, this is a good album on the whole. Give me Smoke Rings above Version anyday, though.
Sorry, this turned into abit of an essay, lol.
Robbie Williams? You're losing your touch mate. It's almost as good as UK hip hop.