Lizzie’s Ten Favourite Covers of 2010

I don’t think I’ve mentioned my insane and utter adoration of a very good cover have I? Well I’ve decided to pick my top covers of 2010 and narrow them down into one lovely post for you. Included, there are some label babies & of course some emerging artists and it was pretty hard; I’ve seen some particular beauties this year but in no particular order…

Here we have this lady, Eliza Doolittle who was a definite interview highlight of 2010, Eliza Doolittle. I love Eliza’s cover of ‘Fuck You’ by Ceelo more than the original, Eliza hits every note perfectly and I think you can really hear her full range of vocals AND she really looks like she’s enjoying singing it. It is by far my favourite cover of 2010.

I saw Misty Miller perform this ukulele cover of Cy Coleman’s ‘Why Try to Change Me Now’ back at Cecil Sharp House in October after our interview and was completely in awe of Misty’s ease at performing it solo on stage in front of a couple hundred people. Misty proves once again that the young ones really do know their music and not just of their generation.

Next we have The Maccabees, who had a banging December when this dropped on Channel 4, propelling us all into nostalgia for childhood. A perfect cover of ‘Walking in the Air’, adding a guitar & instrumental which makes it their own. It’s on iTunes now, excitingly.

Monster Mash – the boy i used to be. by the ruckus

For Halloween I blogged a cover of ‘Monster Mash’ by the boy i used to be, aka Edward. Okay so strictly speaking, this isn’t a cover from 2010, but it is the first year it has been released for free; Edward kindly gave us permission to give it away on the blog (you can still get it here). I still listen to it now, yes I know it’s not Halloween but I dig this folky cover, Edward channels a little old school Jay Jay Pistolet & Johnny Flynn here, check it out – catch the free download.

When everybody else had abandoned a boiling hot London for Glasto, I popped down to Shepherd’s Bush Hall to review Lissie, Alan Pownall & The Boy Who Trapped The Sun on a gorgeous summer evening in June. For Alan‘s encore up popped the gorgeous Lissie to duet on ‘Stop Dragging My Heart Around’ by Stevie Nicks. The video doesn’t do justice to the electric atmosphere & sound that Alan, his band & Lissie created but it was a fine performance indeed with Alan and Lissie bouncing perfectly off each other & Lissie truly embracing Stevie Nicks in style.

The Lowly Knights – Something Good Can Work (Two Door Cinema Club cover K9 Session) by the ruckus

Next up we have The Lowly Knights, those alt-folkies from Northern Ireland taking Two Door Cinema Club’s ‘Something Good Can Work’ and turning it into a twinkling, perfect folk cover. The Lowly Knights even gave it away as a free download, nifty.

I really have no time for Cheryl Cole, take it that I’m bored of seeing & hearing from her a lot. But I adore this cover by Vampire Weekend, like Melanie said they do Ms Cole better than her, which isn’t surprising at all. I listened live to Vampire Weekend covering this and apparently adding a little Vampire Weekend to the song, makes it entirely awesome and heaps better than the original.

Once again, Lissie features in this post, in her cover of Gaga’s ‘Bad Romance’ from March. Lissie adds her Americana sound, producing an exceptional cover with her band & Lissie passionately sings the song with a deep, bitter edge to her vocals. Amazing.

Latest tracks by Matthew and the Atlas

Matthew and the Atlas released this cover of The Pogues featuring Kirsty MacColl just a few days before Christmas as a free download. I imagine ‘Fairytale of New York’ is not an easy song to cover, but Matthew and the band aced it, playing it live at their last show before Christmas at the Luminaire.

From one Ruckus favourite to another. Those Americana-Folkies, Ahab, covered another Ruckus love, Old Crow Medicine Show’s ‘Wagon Wheel’. Check out the not so great quality video above of Ahab being especially amazing, covering this perfectly, from guitar to vocals. I loved seeing this live, I stamped my feet & smiled throughout and I think I heard that Abab are going to record a video for their cover in 2011. Sweet.

That was not an easy list to compile, I have been exposed to some amazing covers this year; have I missed any of your favourites? Let me know. Here’s to 2011 bringing some more delicious covers. Do check them all out and get the free downloads where applicable.