photo credit: C G-K

Cover Bands. I’ve done it. It’s a fairly noble thing to give the people what they want. Bar Bands do it, Jazz Trios do it, and Symphony Orchestras also do it. Let’s go to  YouTube for some Neil Diamond covers by amateur musicians and give out grades.

Solitary Man – Bradford and Lasso

Halfway decent. They’re proficient on their instruments, vocal is okay. Stick around for the nice instrumental ending. B-

Sweet Caroline – Elvis Elite

Neil is sometimes known as the Jewish Elvis. Elvis Elite takes Caroline away from Neil’s Brooklyn roots and out to Memphis. A reasonable Elvis facsimile, although, some king-style karate moves would’ve definitely spiced things up. B

I’m a Believer – Fawzia

Beautifully strange and peaceful. There is something about Fawzia’s vibe that really gets to me. Not much in the way of stage presence, but who cares. B+

America – The War Ponies

I get it. As a matter of fact, I got this shtick about 5 seconds into it. If you can bear to wade through  5:27 of this dreck, than you are a better person than me. D-

Play Me – Zach

The kid is good. Nice finger picking, sweet voice, and well played. Slow tempo songs can really expose your faults. No problem here, Zach holds up nicely. A

Sweet Caroline – Jonas Bros

Horrible. You thought I was only talking about amateurs, right? This footage pretty much confirms that remark. A quick Stub Hub look up found JB tickets priced at anywhere from $20 – $5000. All of the marketing and all of the pro backup musicians in the world cannot disguise one basic fact. These guys suck. F

America – The Castillo Kids

Wow! This has everything. Good playing, amazing energy, and an absolutely fantastic ending. Take that, Jonas Bros! A+++

photo credit: porcupiny,

Not since the early days of Kraftwerk have synthesizers been so cool, thanks to Au Revoir Simone. The synth is usually seen as an accessory to the stock guitar-bass-drum lineup, however, ARS embrace the technology of synthesizers and leave the rest of the band at the music store.

Hailing from Brooklyn, ARS are Erika Forster (vocals/keyboard), Annie Hart (vocals/keyboard), and Heather D’Angelo (vocals/drum machine/keyboard). With their mixture of ethereal dreamy soundscapes, which may put you in mind of Stereolab or Air, along with childlike infectious vocals, and beguiling song lyrics, ARS have brought something special to the indie music scene. Or as huge ARS fan David Lynch has stated “Innocent, hip, and new.”

From the quirky and sweet “Verse Of Comfort” (2005), through the more assured yet understated “The Bird Of Music” (2007), to their current collection, the poppy Brian Wilson/Phil Spector influenced “Still Night, Still Light” (2009), ARS have steadily broadened their sound as well as their fan base. Unique and engaging music videos, my favorite being “Falling Snow”, have also helped to spread the ARS magic.

Currently wrapping up their summer tour dates in Europe, ARS are making a splash in the continental music news while winning new fans everywhere they play. The big question is what’s next for ARS? Is it possible that they have peaked? Or are the next big thing? Based on what I’ve heard they certainly deserve all of the success in the world.