-
Trans Am has used synthesizers and vocorders to blur the line between electronica and rock for more than 10 years.
Before Aretha belted "Respect" there was the Otis Redding original. Before Santana sang "Black Magic Woman," it was a Fleetwood Mac hit. Today, we check out songs you didn't know were covers. We also look at some cover songs that are (arguably) better than the originals, from Ike & Tina Turner's "Proud Mary" to Devo's cover of "Satisfaction." Also: A rash of new music venues are getting started around New York this spring, even as older ones fold. We get an update. And the band Trans Am joins us live.
Covers that Beat the Originals
Why do some cover songs surpass and outlive their original versions? Larry Dobrow Contributing Writer to Blender.com sheds light on songs that you didn't know were covers; and Keith Phipps, editor of The A.V. Club, the entertainment section of The Onion, tells us which cover songs out-rock their original versions.
Trans Am - Live and Turbocharged
Trans Am has used synthesizers and vocorders to blur the line between electronica and rock for more than ten years. The trio's new album, "Sex Change," is an accessible work (it even has vocals!) that satisfies fans who fell in love with their retro-prog and video-game-music early work. They play ...
Club Kids
Just as several cutting-edge music clubs have shuttered in recent months, a rash of new music venues are getting started, including the Gramercy Theater, the United Palace Theater and the Highline Ballroom. New York Daily News music critic Jim Farber gives us the lowdown.