Marissa Nadler covers Black Sabbath

Okay, so right off the bat I should warn that this isn’t actually a video clip (as advertised above). Today I’m going to highlight a couple audio clips from Marissa Nadler’s SoundCloud page, and I didn’t know what category to put this under. I could have created a new category called “Audio Clip of the Week” but that has the potential of never being used again.

The other day while I was perusing Twitter (you can follow us: @BDWPS), when I stumbled upon a post by Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drops fame. I follow Fantano because he has his finger on the pulse of new music, sometimes alerting me to artists I may not have heard of.  Personally, I find his YouTube video album reviews to be a little too much about promoting himself and not enough about promoting great music, but I digress.

His ear for music can not be discredited, as seen in a short post he put up this week with a link to Marissa Nadler’s Soundcloud page, saying that she’d covered Black Sabbath’s “Solitude.”  As a longtime supporter of Nadler and her unique brand of doom folk, I had to give it a listen. I’m not always a fan of covers because in most cases, artists just do their best impression of the original. This is what makes Nadler’s clip so amazing. Instead of trying to do some acoustic take on Sabbath, Nadler makes it completely her own and the result sounds almost nothing like the original. While the original version is calm and regal, Nadler’s version is a haunting dirge.

As I perused her Soundcloud page, I discovered that she’s been posting gems for the past year, including a fantastic cover of Elliot Smith’s “Pitseleh,” an ironic take on Father John Misty’s “Hollywood Forever Cemetary Sings,” and an epic vocal arrangement of the Game of Thrones theme song. There’s also tons more goodness to be had, including covers of Radiohead, Daniel Johnston, and Townes Van Zandt. Check it all out here: https://soundcloud.com/marissanadler

BDWPS #35: Cinco De Metal

In this episode aptly titled “Cinco De Metal,” we take a look at some of the best metal albums to come out so far in 2015, including Torche, Sannhet, Sumac, and An Autumn For Crippled Children. We also check out a new track from Lightning Bolt, and revisit classics from Black Sabbath and Jimi Hendrix. Check it out HERE or subscribe on iTunes or Stitcher (search keyword: BDWPS).

Track List:

Torche “Minions”
Sannhet “Enemy Victorian”
Sumac “Thorn in the Lion’s Paw”
Lightning Bolt “The Metal East”
An Autumn for Crippled Children “Converging Towards the Light”
Black Sabbath “Hand of Doom”
Jimi Hendrix “All Along the Watchtower”

Michael Beinhorn.

Some have called him the “Drum Killer.” Others have named him the “Rhythm Nazi.” In the recording business he’s simply known as Michael Beinhorn, best known for his work on Soundgarden’s Superunknown. With a resume featuring over 20 albums by big names like Ozzy Osbourne, Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and Herbie Hancock, it goes without saying that the man knows his way around a recording studio. I have no qualms about his talents as a producer; it’s his track record of firing drummers that irks me.

Top 20 Songs of 2013

This list was once a big deal around here at BDWPS. Back in 2010, it was comprised of a top 100 list with an audio clip for each.  Not only was this a lot of work, it also never got nearly the attention that our Top Albums list always receives. I’ve also found that since starting the BDWPS Podcast that majority of the songs listed have been played and discussed at some point during the year.  By the time this list arrives, my discussion of the track seems a bit stale.  Below you’ll find 20 of my favorite songs of 2013.  Although it’s not much in comparison to what it once was, it’s still a solid playlist of memorable hooks that may have went under radar this past year.

BDWPS Podcast #11: That 70s Show (1970)

What started as simply a stroll down 70s lane turns into an obsessive look at the year 1970 and the albums that defined it. You’ll hear classics from artists like Black Sabbath, The Velvet Underground, The Stooges, Rodriguez, John Lennon, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young, and of course, another classic from Bob Dylan. Check it out here or subscribe to it on iTunes by searching “BDWPS.”

 

Video Clip of the Week: Black Sabbath for Ukulele

As I often do on national holidays such as today (Memorial Day) I went shopping. No, I didn’t leave the house in fear of the highways crammed with families scrambling to the closest lakes and rivers. Instead, I go online and check for the specials that coincide with the holiday (anymore, commerce seems to be the reason for these holidays).

I rarely buy anything on these searches, and I didn’t buy anything today.  But, while filling my virtual shopping cart with items I would eventually opt to not get from MusiciansFriend.com, I came across something pretty incredible.  I’d reached the $190 mark with my purchases when I realized that if I went above $250 I would raise my percentage off from 5% to 10% (this is how they getcha!).  “Hmmm….what do I need….what do I need?” I asked myself, fully knowing I don’t need any of the $190 dollar items already set aside. Then it hit me: a ukulele! Of course! Everyone needs a ukulele!

After finding a real sweet deal on a uke, the site suggested items that would go great with my purchase. And that’s when I saw it. “Black Sabbath for Ukulele.”  I couldn’t believe my eyes. Was this April Fools? No, that’s not a national holiday. I clicked on the link, and sure enough, Ozzy and the gang stared back at me from beneath the title “Black Sabbath for Ukulele.”  The juxtaposition of Black Sabbath and ukulele blew my mind.  How did the happy-go-lucky sound of a ukulele work for playing the dark, sinister riffs of Sabbath?

I had to find out. Soon after, I found myself on YouTube searching out amateurs covering the legendary band on the Hawaiian instrument. After clicking on a few embarrassingly bad clips, I found this clip. Although his voice is suspect, he illuminated just how surprisingly great the meeting of these two musical forms could sound.  Plus, as his introduction says, this was posted for a “Metal on Ukulele” contest. Although I didn’t end up purchasing a uke or the songbook, I have begun practicing Slayer on banjo, just in case.