Good Cover Version: AURORA Does Oasis

Pulp gave the world the song "Bad Cover Version." But seeing as I'm a sonic optimist, I'm of the belief that there's more likely than not more good cover versions floating around than bad ones. Good Cover Version celebrates the good, and leaves all that bad and ugly stuff alone.

For those not familiar with the b-sides of Oasis, Noel Gallagher was (and probably still is) a songwriting machine. Collecting the band's singles was a hobby of many of us back in the 90s. One of my very favorite Gallagher anthems was the rather deep, deceptively heavy "Half the World Away." I think Noel loved it, too, as it was one that was recorded with him doing the singing, instead of baby brother Liam. 

These days, the song was covered by a 19 year-old Norwegian, AURORA, for one of those impossibly tearjerking John Lewis holiday commercials. The song and the voice are gorgeous together, AURORA's sweet blooms of youthfulness moving ethereally through the depth Gallagher penned way back before she was even born. Give it a go, and make sure you've got a tissue or two handy.   




[posted 12.25.15]