Dude, that's Faux'd Up!

Thought I forgot about Thursday, didn't you? Well, I did. But to my defense, I had a long day yesterday and today's a holiday so suck on that.

1. Tally Hall - "Haiku"
2. Denison Witmer - "Are You Lonely?"
3. Paramore - "My Hero" (Foo Fighters Cover
4. Scala Choir and Kolacny Brothers - "Heartbeats" (The Knife Cover)

In order to make up for being so late, I doubled everything up. That's right, 2 new songs and 2 covers. Consider it the jumbofunpack.

The first track featured is by a band out of Ann Arbor, Michigan. "Haiku" is a fun little track that I stumbled upon perusing the Muxtape galleries. The ambient chatter and catchy casual riff are instant charmers. Tally Hall are an indie/pop-rock band whose sound lean towards Vampire Weekend and The Cab. But, there's something in the lyrics, in the groundwork of their music that errs on the quirkier side, reminding me of an early Soul Coughing, especially in the track "Ruler of Everything."

Track number two is one of my favorite songs of all time. Denison Witmer is the kind of musician that gives you hope that there is indeed something greater that exists beneath the surface of pop culture today. That there is beauty and heart left in music far more immense than the NKOTB reunion tour and High School Musical. "Are You Lonely?" was a track featured on Denison's happybirthdaydenisonwitmer site a couple years ago that to this day, still weighs heavy on my heart every time I hear it. It's a gorgeous song.

For the two covers, we have two more opposing tracks. Before I continue, I'd just like to state, I love Paramore. I don't care how much of a 15 year old girl that makes me, I love Paramore. I also love The Foo Fighters, which is how we ended up with our first cover. Next up, we have Scala Choir and the Kolacny Brothers covering The Knife's "Heartbeats."




I had actually heard Jose Gonzalez's cover of this song way before I heard the original, shame on me, I suppose. However, neither cover are anything like the original. Hell, I haven't heard anything resembling the original by The Knife, which is what makes this cover so intriguing. The same way Crooked Fingers and Prince are vast contrasts, the Scala Choir and Kolacny Brothers are polar opposites to The Knife. The latter is edgy, clashing and tattered, like listening to a boisterous band through tinny speakers with the treble and bass cranked up to 11. The former is slow, yearning, and (yeah) angelic. Two very different sounds. Two very different types of delicious.