Yeah, so Stillwater may be a fictional band created for Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous, but it was a fictional band that sure could rock. I could definitely see this band pull out a minor hit or two if they were real. This “live” performance is from a deleted scene to the movie. Enjoy!
Stone Temple Pilots nail Plush
for MTV Unplugged on November 17th, 1993.
Lazy Eye
is another of my favorites from Rock Band. The guitar solo was very reminiscent of Explosions in the Sky, and always fun to “jam with” on the fake plastic guitar of Rock Band. This is an Unplugged version courtesy of MTV.
Thanks to Rock Band, The Killers When You Were Young
has been a guilty pleasure song of mine, but one I could never admit to, because, well, it was by The Killers. Now thanks to The Noisettes I can listen to this song guilt-free, as they completely blow the original out of the water. This is an example of how a good voice and subtle orchestration can take a catchy song and make it great.
I was first introduced to The Blakes and their Modern Man
from the movie Meet Bill during the fireworks buying scene. I tried finding a better version, but this is the best I could come up with. Oh, by the way, see Meet Bill, it’s quirky, it’s funny, it’s got hot chicks … plus Aaron Eckhart’s chin.
Pete, Bjorn & John’s original Young Folks
may just be the most infectious song this side of Tilly & the Wall. Dawn Landes’ bluegrass cover may not have me whistling along, but it’s certainly quirky and fun in entirely different ways. I love the contrast between the elder WST Band singing a song, well, about young folks…
Supposedly Ben Folds had forgotten he was to be on this program that day and cover a popular song, so he turned on his iPod and The Postal Service’s Such Great Heights
was his most recently listened to song.
I’ve always thought Kelly Clarkson’s Since U Been Gone
was a decently catchy song, if a bit overproduced. Here Ted Leo strips the song to its core, and at that core we find the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s Maps
…
The infamous 1994 MTV Video Music Awards where Bruce Springsteen completely stole One Headlight
right out from underneath Jacob Dylan. It must be hard to have Bob Dylan as a father, it must be harder to have Bruce Springsteen own your biggest hit.
Coldplay’s Yellow
has long been a guilty pleasure song of mine. Yellow
showcases the potential Coldplay once possessed before squandering it away trying to become a mediocre version of U2.
This cover featuring Petra Haden does beg the question of whether Coldplay would make more sense as a female-fronted band… but for now, this song will have to do.