Alison Mosshart & Carla Azar - Tomorrow Never Knows

I already shared my immense appreciation of the Sucker Punch soundtrack in my review of the film on Thursday, but I had to give special mention again to the hypnotic and utterly bewitching cover of The Beatles Tomorrow Never Knows from the CD as it's well on its way to becoming one of my favourite tracks of the year so far.

It's one of those tracks that just builds and builds, wave upon wave of epic beauty colliding and crashing in an explosion of pure beauty. Part of this stems from the filmic power of the song - at seven and a half minutes, it's the most lengthy track from the album - but like the best 'long' tracks, it feels far shorter. If a track like this can trick you into thinking that, it means its working. You're sucked into the world of the song, pulled under into a magical sea of psychadelic melody and colour.

On one hand you have the riotous big-beat and rock influences that form the core of the track, and then comes the gentle, enchanting piano of the mid-point breakdown; setting everything up for the final, breathtaking two minutes where everything reaches the most awe-inspiring of climaxes. Alison Mosshart's (she of The Dead Weather and The Kills fame) vocals are strong enough to stamp out their own position amidst the sonic whirlwind that surrounds them; yet remain almost lullaby-like, singing the listener into a dream world.

In many ways, this cover is pretty faithful to the Beatles original - the fact said original is now some fourty years old gives this version breathing space to establish its own foundations. And once those are laid down, it then becomes free to work in all the relevant contemporary influences. The closest comparison is another seven minute wonder, Electronic's epic Prodigal Son from their Twisted Tenderness album. Sitar, thunderous percussion and guitar solos like a knife - Tomorrow Never Knows has them all too, an utterly transformative experience that is the very epitome of the themes Sucker Punch seeks to pursue.