There’s been some killer appearances on Like A Version lately, such as The Wombats’ impressive Jarryd James tribute and Clowns’ deliciously raw Sunnyboys cover, which got us thinking about the best in the weekly segment’s history.
You don’t have dig back far into the triple j’s nearly decade-long Like A Version history to realise that there’s actually a tonne of inventive tributes and amazingly inventive covers produced over the years.
After asking fellow music lovers, clicking around the web (and getting a little nostalgic) we’ve whittled down a selection of 12 Like A Version covers that best represent why the triple j segment is somewhat of a national institution.
RÜFÜS – ‘My Number/Charlotte’ by Foals/Booka Shade
Was this two-track combo a dream anyone ever believe could come true? Clearly for the Sydney indie electronic three-piece it was all too easy. What reigns this version as king is the trio’s ability to seamlessly pair the two very differing tunes (Foals’ jagged-up guitar pop and a house hit) into one. This ain’t just another tacky mash-up – it’s a brand new track.
The Rubens – ‘Friday On My Mind’ By The Easybeats
Reworking an all-time Aussie classic is no easy feat, hell most would say don’t even bother – however, for these swaggering soul-rockers, it was a walk in the park. Stripping away the sixties British-invasion tinge, The Rubans produce a gritty, bluesy take that absolutely kills it.
Jagwar Ma – ‘Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High?’ by Arctic Monkeys
The transformation of the Sheffield rockers’ 2013 smash-hit by the Sydney psych-dance duo is incredible. Utilising the shit out of synthesisers and a table full of effects pedals, the pair produce something entirely fresh. One could almost forget that this was ever penned by Alex Turner…
Bonjah – ‘Royals’ by Lorde
Yes, we know, there’s countless covers of ‘Royals’ but this roots rock rendition is special. The Melbourne-based New Zealand expats tackled their fellow Kiwi’s signature tune over a year ago, back when Lorde was better known as a talented 16-year-old than as the Nirvana-fronting, award-snaffling household name she is today.
Horrorshow – ‘Walk On The Wild Side’ By Lou Reed
Who knew rapper Solo had such a killer croon deep inside him? Well, this is the vid that proved to Aussies that this man ain’t no one-trick pony. Stepping outside their comfort zone (albeit comfortably), they belt out a cracking cover of Lou Reed’s classic before slipping into the reinvention of A Tribe Called Quest’s ‘Can I Kick It?’ where Solo and Adit really let it rip (hint: they don’t like Tony Abbott).
Remi – ‘Since I Left You’ by The Avalanches
Illy’s Ausmusic Month mashup has since stolen some of the limelight, but this take on Australia’s much loved masup maestros is one of the best hip-hop guests on the segment in the last year – if not ever. No wonder Remi, decked out in his finest Nirvana T, ended up taking home the station’s Unearthed Artist of the Year award the same week as his Avalanches tribute.
Abbe May – ‘Pony’ by Ginuwine
Man, this was always such a bump’n’grind kinda jam and there’s no way it could get any more sensually smooth, right? Guess again. When Abbe May entered the Triple J studios she added a whole new element of suave and swagger as her hoarse lyrics (geddit?) reinvented the nineties hit.
Something For Kate – ‘Sweet Nothing’ by Florence Welch & Calvin Harris
Like A Version renditions of top-charting songs have a habit of cropping up in the Triple J Hottest 100 (re: Matt Corby’s ‘Lonely Boy’, Regina Spektor’s Lennon cover, etc.) but none as stridently as the Melbourne trio’s place at #68 on last year’s poll with this transformation of the Florence-starring dance anthem. Dempsey’s emotive, gravelly falsetto takes the song somewhere else entirely. Utterly memorable.
Tame Impala – ‘Prototype’ by Outkast
To have Kevin Parker and ex-band mate Nick Allbrook bounce André 3000’s dreamy vocals off of one another amidst the swaggering funk and the slight neo-psych tinge the West Coast outfit bring to the track renders this rendition an Aussie classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b530JJ9spd0
Foals – ‘Daffodils’ By Mark Ronson & Kevin Parker
Eagerly awaiting their fourth full-length record What Went Down, Foals recently whet our appetite with a take on Mark Ronson’s ‘Daffodils’, his collaboration with Tame Impala’s mastermind Kevin Parker. Laden with signature groove as well as plenty of sharp synth, the Oxford quintet relished in their own style, relying on guitar heavy leads as well as Philippakis’ yearning voice giving it a more organic, personalised edge.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0DAx7DalQ4
Tired Lion – ‘Saramona Said’ By Violent Soho
Maybe it’s no surprise that Tired Lion would perform a cover of Aussie punk stoners Violent Soho in the form of Hungry Ghost single ‘Saramona Said’. In fact, if anything it seems like a standard choice for the Perth four-piece, what is a surprise however, is their own downbeat take on it, and even more so is the incredibly seamless transition into a cheeky verse of Smashing Pumpkin’s legacy hit of ‘1979’, that makes you reel back and think “did they seriously just do that?”
Gang Of Youths – ‘All My Friends’ By LCD Soundsystem
Making waves with the release of their colossal debut LP The Positions, Sydney’s Gang Of Youths have garnered irrefutable recognition over the past few months. Performing LCD Soundsystem’s 2007 hit ‘All My Friends’ as a slow-burning, progressive rock anthem, it’s wondrous how different of a shape a song can take when inside different packaging. Furthermore, it’s almost astounding how well David Le’aupepe’s sombre voice fits, proving that sometimes forcing the square peg into the circle hole is the best way to go.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qc1GR1m1Dic
