Doesn't alway play in my Apple Safari browser, but I have heard it. And, it left me completely opinion-less!

http://www.interscope.com/artist/player/default.aspx/mid/2361/aid/564

I have now had time to form an opinion. It made me realise how some people can sing a song without presenting the meaning of it. It's harder with a Neil Finn song, I think, as the meaning can only be taken phrase by phrase, but you have to have that understanding to present it to an audience. And Rossdale just seems to sing it out, with modulating volume and not much else. I'm not much of a singer, but I once had the luck of going for a walk with a very experienced producer of jazz vocalists, and he started telling me the stories behind songs. He explained what "Send in the Clowns" - a Stephen Sondheim song - means (which, for those of you that are interested, is the moment when if a performer falls off a tightrope and is badly hurt, then the clowns are sent on to distract the audience whilst the casualty is dealt with). His explanation helped me understand it, but also better detect when the performer wasn't able to get the message of the song across. Excuse the digression, but it doesn't seem to me that Rossdale gets it. (On the website it talks of him tearing the cover off it, and if there was ever any song that didn't need that doing to it . . .)

I actually think it's a pretty good cover myself, better than the Paul Young version at least. I'm a fan of Gavin Rossdale and it's nice to hear him try something different. It's an interesting attempt because he has tried to change the song but for me it works. It's a bit bizarre though that the original CH video is being played on the large screens behind though.

Man, if only I had access to this video back in the mid 90's when I was in high school. I was obsessed with Crowded House and one of my best friends was in love with Gavin Rossdale and Bush. I personally thought Bush was an atrocious Nirvana ripoff/Creed predecessor while she thought Crowded House were a has been 80's band with cheesy lyrics and boring instrumentation. Oh how sweet it would have been to have a video of her idol singing side-by-side with the music video for "Don't Dream It's Over"! Alas, I'm tempted to email her this link but I think the moment has passed.

I like the fact that they're playing the video behind the band because it keeps them honest and keeps them from slowing down the song. So often covers of DDIO are so slow that they ruin the song.

I think Rossdale did slow it down a bit, judging by my hi tech tapping on my desk measuring technique. Interestingly, cover records never play the song they are covering at the same speed as the original, let alone faster. It's as if it's a cover that they have to give it some more 'meaning', and that usually means playing it slower.

His vocals have so many effects on them you can hardly hear his true voice.

Think Cher in 'Do you believe in Life after love'

Quite shocking

I've liked some of Gavin's music in the past but this is just appalling... There's no emotion in it. His voice sounds terrible. It's almost as if there was a list of songs to choose from to cover and Gavin was the last person to choose so he got stuck with a song he didn't want to do. What a waste, both of the song and of Gavin's talent.

Love how he shows the original video in the background!

I just don't think his voice is suited to this song.

There are some things I like about the arrangement, but I find all the effects on his voice distracting and annoying.

I think singers should have to pay some sort of hefty fine or tax based on how many effects they use on their voice, and to what extent, and then maybe they'd all think twice before getting carried away like this

quote:

Think Cher in 'Do you believe in Life after love'

Do I have to?

As for this rather bleak cover version of DDIO, I have not heard Gavin Rossdale before, I don't think - but, based on this, the vocal processing isn't the problem. His expressionless voice, however, is a problem, as is the unimaginative arrangement. (Ooh - the drummer plays louder at the end! And the guitarist cranks up the distortion! No one's ever thought of that before!!) Some songs just shouldn't be covered...and DDIO is clearly one of them.

I like Gavin, or at least I did when he was in Bush. I haven't heard his solo stuff. I'm not sure where to weigh in on this. It's easy to say "Yuck, not that's not Neil," but I know that's because I know his version the best.

I was thinking ow as a Crowdies fan, DDIO is the most overplayed song in their catalogue, and I'd be fine if I didn't hear it again for a while. But the other side of that is even though it has been overplayed, it's a truly marvelous song. I guess if something is going to be overplayed, that's not a bad one to do it with. It could be the newest forgettable dance craze song instead.

And in realizing the beauty of the song and how much I love the spontaneous/surprising listening occurrences of the song (in the shopping center, passing by a station playing retro hits, etc), I realized one thing. For me, Gavin didn't capture the full beauty of the song.

It makes me feel sad to say that because I'd like him to succeed, but it wasn't his best. His voice sounded tired or not in the optimum range with this song, and he was missing some of the opportunities he could take for musical expression with the piece.

I also wonder a bit sarcastically if the arrangement without the Maori strum was more out of necessity in case one of the guitarists couldn't play it.

Musicians seem to like covering this song - it's that good. But in my opinion, it's not a good one to cover. It seems to get butchered. It's not a heavy rock kindof song. So, this treatment just changes it.

And as was mentioned earlier, you loose the emotions and meaning the original version has.

And another thing! I just watched the video. This song is so about the atmosphere of the video and Neil's voice sets the tone too. It's kindof perfect.

He's lookin' good. Looking a little Liev Schreiberish!

I think that's how you spell it. Liev Schreiberish.

quote:

Originally posted by Mr. Sadly:
He's lookin' good. Looking a little Liev Schreiberish!

Mmmm, nah. Bring back the long curly locks.

(Can't comment on the actual song because I CAN'T GET THE VIDEO TO PLAY!!!!! The ad before? Sure. The song? No! urgh.)

Okay, apparently yelling at the video player was enough to make it work this time. Go figure.

I have to agree with all those who posted that the song doesn't suit Gavin's voice. I liked his low, gravelly Bush voice. This song seems to high for him.

And while it's mostly just a boring cover, I actually didn't mind the part where they rocked out at the end. I think it would have been more interesting if they'd done that they whole way through. Maybe Gavin's trying to shed that Bush-rocker image from the 90s?

Mostly though: whatever.

Bring back those lovely long curls!

This *almost* makes me long for the Sixpence None The Richer version.

Bleh

It's OK. I like that he tried to do it differently, but only some of it works. Regardless, I still believe it's impossible to ruin that song.