|
Amazon.co.uk allows you to pay for your items in your local currency. Restrictions apply. Learn More. |
Frequently Bought Together
Product details
|
Track Listings
| 1. Leopard-Skin Pill-Box Hat |
| 2. Do The Strand |
| 3. Straight To Hell |
| 4. Live And Let Die |
| 5. Running To Stand Still |
| 6. Heroes |
| 7. Transmission |
| 8. Victoria |
| 9. Superstition |
| 10. Wonderful/Song For Children |
| 11. Search And Destroy |
| 12. Atlantic City |
| 13. You Belong To Me |
| 14. Sheena Is A Punk Rocker |
| 15. Call Me |
Product Description
Review
Yet another charity cover versions album, War Child: Heroes adds novelty by asking the original artists to choose who should revive their songs. The results are predictably mixed: Mick Jones' choice of Lily Allen to add sugar and cream to The Clash's Straight To Hell proves surprisingly inspired, while Paul McCartney once again picks the wrong woman, with Duffy suffocating Live And Let Die with coy mannerisms.
As with all covers, the best songs here revere the original (is there anything more dispiriting than an ironic cover?) but add a new dimension or perspective, As well as Allen's chimingly lovely version of Straight To Hell, her sweet vocal making the lyrics bite even harder, Peaches brilliantly re-invents The Stooges' Search And Destroy as sleek, dark electropop and Scissor Sisters streamline and discofy Roxy Music's Do The Strand.
Of the bolder cover attempts, only Duffy's Live And Let Die truly falls flat on its face. Presumably, slowing down this former Bond theme was an attempt to add Shirley Bassey grandeur, but losing its abrupt, playful shifts in tempo robs it of all its former charm. Rufus Wainwright fares much better with his medley from Brian Wilson's Smile, pushing his florid, elegant vocals to the forefront.
There are more straightforward revisitings, too. Beck's version of Leopard-Skin Pill Box Hat is strikingly similar to Bob Dylan's own honky tonk version, with a little added swagger, while Elbow approach Running To Stand Still with the same stately grace as U2. Sadly, TV On The Radio's version of David Bowie's Heroes is a mess, with its hard electro beats adding nothing to the futuristic perfection of the original.
War Child: Heroes is admirably more ambitious than many previous covers records, and the fact it succeeds so often is to its credit. But given the breadth of talent assembled here, you do wonder whether letting them turn in their own homework might have been even more satisfying. --Jaime Gill
Find more music at the BBC This link will take you off Amazon in a new window
Product Description
titolo-war child. heroes vol.1etichett-avirginn. dischi1data-13 febbraio 2009supporto-cd audiogenerepop e rock internazionalecompilation----brani1. beck (bob dylan: leopard-skin pill-box hat)2. scissor sisters (roxy music: do the strand)3. lily allen ft. mick jones (the clash: straight to hell)4. duffy (paul mccartney: live and let die)5. elbow (u2: running to stand still)6. tv on the radio (david bowie: heroes)7. hot chip (joy division: transmission)8. the kooks (the kinks: victoria)9. estelle (stevie wonder:superstition)10. rufus wainwright (brian wilson:wonderful/ song for children)11. peaches (iggy pop: search and destroy)12. the hold steady (bruce springsteen: atlantic city)13. the like (elvis costello: you belong to me)14. yeah yeah yeahs (the ramones: sheena is a punk rocker)15. franz ferdinand (blondie: call me)
Tags Customers Associate with This Product(What's this?)Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
|
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This album's had amazing reviews on a lot of websites and it's right up front on myspacemusic. Have a listen and judge for yourself. The Elbow track is an astonishing cover of U2's classic Running to Stand Still and Franz Ferdinand do a rousing rendition of Blondie's Call Me. Beck, TV on the Radio, the Kooks, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Peaches all do great covers from the Ramones through to Bowie. There are few albums where you'll have more than half a dozen favourites like this. In fact the whole deal stands up to repeated listening. It wont disappoint.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This isn't just a fantastic line up. This is music at it's best. The radio play this album's got has only scratched the surface. I've just listened to it on myspace and there isn't a single track I don't love. I don't normally write reviews like this. But this is great music to meet the needs of a great cause.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Do yourself a favour - buy this album! Not only is War Child a fantastic charity but the album is truly amazing. Beck's cover of Dylan is stomping. Lily Allen duets with Mick Jones to give a whole new flavour to The Clash's 'Straight to Hell.' But the best is yet to come. Band de jour, TV on the Radio, remain faithful to Bowie's Heroes while also bringing something distinctly new to it. Hot Chip re-imagine Joy Division's 'Transmission' rather than trying to just copy the iconic original and succeed in giving a new electro, post punk-ish tinge to the track, one of the album stand outs. Peaches brings Berlin grit and dirty bass to The Stooge's 'Search and Destroy' which is another of the highlights. And The Like bring a 50s do-wop to Elvis Costello's 'You Belong To Me'.
Cannot recommend this highly enough!
Cannot recommend this highly enough!
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Memo to the BBC Reviewer
After reading the utterly stupid review by the rock critics at the Beeb the whole point is these War Child comps are first and foremost for charity and not for dissecting. Read more
Published 3 months ago by Richard
CD compilation.
The charity is admirable - some of the recordings less so. Some are great - and some frankly forgettable. It's your choice.
Published on 20 April 2010 by G. Callan
war heroes
Some of the songs are fine, others are a bit off. If you listen to it carefully there is a lot of anger and not many solutions
Published on 21 Nov 2009 by A. VANDENHOUT
Sorry but this is NOT a great album
I dare say that many folks will not want to agree with me becuase this is a great list of musicians and the cause is an excellent one. Read more
Published on 9 April 2009 by Barmee
War Child Heroes
I adore this cd. I ordered it through a seller associated with Amazon, it arrived even faster than expected. Cannot fault this cd whatsoever:)
Published on 20 Mar 2009 by Brendan
good album - great cause
There are some excellant covers of well-loved classics on this cd, some tracks I didn't know but I liked the covers anyway and some crimes against music! Read more
Published on 13 Mar 2009 by Misty
Great concept that makes for a brilliant album
Hop Chip's cover of transmission is ace. Actually, the whole album is ace so it's hard to pick a stand-out track. Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2009 by L. Howland
Excellent Album
I've just bought this album and I LOVE it. Not just something to buy to support a worthwhile charity its a great album. Read more
Published on 16 Feb 2009 by lorna
Looking forward to Monday 16...
Just had a listen on My Space and this album is brilliant. Well done War Child. Can't wait for my copy to arrive on Monday.
Published on 13 Feb 2009 by emily
wicked Elbow cover version
i'm a massive Elbow fan and have loved U2 for ever. There song Running to Stand Still was always one of my faves and this cover version is just awesome. Read more
Published on 12 Feb 2009 by badly drawn ben
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Listmania!
|
|
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
