VIMES - Take My Breath Away

It’s a brave band that goes about covering 80s classic Take My Breath Away. Still, we’re rather liking this version by Cologne two-piece Vimes, who give the track an icy chilled-out makeover, all subtle synthetic touches and a lovely sense of atmosphere. It’s the sort of thing we imagine OMD might come up it if they ever did a covers album. The group’s own track Neglect offers more of the same, verging into Hot Chip territory for a moody electronic work-out.

The Luminites cover Cheryl Cole's Call My Name!

Back in November last year we covered cheeky five-piece the Luminites, and their track All Dressed Up, which we rather liked. And now they're back with this cracking cover version of Cheryl Cole's new single Call My Name. We really like the beat-box workover they've given the song and it brings a refreshing new vibe to the track while still keeping all the addictive allure of Cheryl's original intact. Definitely our favourite cover version of a Cheryl song since Delphic's take on 3 Words, that's for sure.

Diana Vickers - Dancing In The Moonlight [Thin Lizzy Cover]

Think of two completely disparate music artists, and put them together in a cheery cover version surprise. Diana Vickers doing Thin Lizzy, eh? Who'd have thunk it!

But the thing is, Diana's cover of Thin Lizzy's Dancing In The Moonlight is a real joy, a synth-pop nugget of unbridled frolicsome fun. She also gets to do some breathy seductive vocals that pop princess Kylie herself would be proud of, which leaves us only to ask...

Can we take you on that first dance under the moonlight Diana?

Rebecca Ferguson covers Drake's Take Care

We were already mega-excited for Rebecca Ferguson's tour, but after seeing this sublime cover of Drake's Take Care, we're positively counting down the days to the date we're going to. Rebecca's smoky, sultry vocals suit the song perfectly and we love the arrangement of the track she's gone for - very classy indeed!

Introducing... Jack Skuller

We're liking the sound of New York lad Jack Skuller this week - already making lots of waves over in the US and appearing in the likes of Teen Vogue, his cover of Quarrymen classic In Spite of All the Danger is a delightful step back into the past, capturing an unerring essence of cute 50s skiffle pop.

With his slick, smartly dressed looks on his side too, Skuller is undoubtedly the kind of young star who could set young girls' hearts alight at the drop of a hate here in the UK too - but most importantly, he's got the musical chops too. A throwback to the past, but a real potential star for the future.

His track Love Is A Drum is available as a free download from his Facebook page.

Marcus Collins - Seven Nation Army

The trouble with Marcus Collins releasing a cover version as his debut single is that it proves nothing. Having dazzled on the X Factor show itself, his jazzed up take on the White Stripes' Seven Nation Army is reduced to something all too predictable.

Unlike Marcus' tacky finale performances which veered dangerously into cabaret cruise-ship territory, Seven Nation Army is thankfully more restrained, more classy - but it does nothing to push the Marcus brand, to show us what more the lad can do. We know he's got a great voice, we know he's got a snazzy sense of style - he showed us all that on the big ol' XF - let's see him deliver with some material of his own now, as Rebecca Ferguson did to sublime effect last year.

As it stands, Seven Nation Army seems to scream 'I wish this was produced by Mark Ronson' while simultaneously shimmying up in an assortment of Janelle Monae's leftovers (admirable though it is that Marcus wants to cover Monae on his debut album, Seven Nation Army proves he's in danger of becoming a poor man's imitation of her).

Marcus undoubtedly has potential - and Seven Nation Army is far from awful. But if he's not careful, he could quite easily end up as the next Leon Jackson or Andy Williams.

Oh My! cover Christmas Wrapping!

We totally love Oh My! and we love Christmas songs too (who doesn't!?) - so when it came to the girls choosing a Xmas hit to cover, it could only be Christmas Wrapping. After all, the gutsy female feistyness of the original translates perfectly to what the Oh My! girls are all about.

With a hilarious Netto reference, this ranks right up with the girls' ace cover of the Saturdays' Higher - we're just wondering what track the girls will rework next to make it a hat-trick?

You can download Oh My!'s cover of Christmas Wrapping for free here.

Little Mix - Cannonball

Sometimes, everything just clicks into place. This weekend, on the X Factor, this happened to Little Mix. Taking the winner's crown with their cover of Cannonball - the first time a girl group, let alone a group, had ever done so - they crystallised the hopes and dreams of pop lovers across the nation.

Here, at last, there is the potential for a truly incredible X Factor winner, for Little Mix to take up the Girls Aloud baton and continue the UK's tradition of girl power. Long may they reign supreme!

Even their cover art looks fresh and fun, a far cry from the tired black & white 'safe' shots of past winners. Hearing them take up Damien Rice's classic acoustic number and transform it into an impassioned enormo-ballad, it was clear they were already in another league from runner up Marcus.

I'll be the first to admit I was sceptical about the group during the course of the series, but from the moment they banged out their ace cover of You've Got The Love, I knew they had what it takes.

The styling, spot on. The vocals - well, Perrie showed the whole UK exactly what she's capable of on the group's take on Silent Night. Simply beautiful, truly sublime.

This is the new face of pop, the new force for good. Yes, the winner's single isn't perfect - we all wanted a Sound of the Underground-esque up-tempo banger... but you can't have everything.

What does their cover of Cannonball have going in its favour? Well, on the most basic level, it's a well-rounded, distinctly 'pop' version of the original, erasing all the singer-songwriter trappings of Damien Rice's version. Its best moments are in the gorgeous synth flourishes, crisp R&B beat and echoey piano riffs - as the string sections surge in it all gets a bit Madonna 'Power of Goodbye' - which is a very, very good thing. But above all, it shows how accomplished the group are vocally.

We can only wait and hope that when the girls' career-proper begins, they'll deliver a pop album of genuine merit. Cher Lloyd showed it could be done, I expect even better from Little Mix.

Leona Lewis covers Nine Inch Nails' 'Hurt'

In the history of unlikely cover versions, Leona Lewis taking on Nine Inch Nails ranks as potentially one of the most unexpected combinations... but then again, considering she's already tackled Snow Patrol and Oasis, it's fair to say she has at least some experience in the 'rock' sphere.

Of course, much of the popularity of Hurt has to be attributed to the Johnny Cash version, but remarkably, amazingly, Leona's version of Hurt actually begins sounding far more like the NIN original. The central discordant piano hook is there, as is the haunting whistle of blowing wind. Leona's vocals suit the dark sensuality of the track perfectly.

As the track builds and builds, it morphs more into generic Leona EpicBallad territory - but with its soaring string sections and flanged guitar riffs, it stands a rousing take on the original that manages to carve out its own merits.

(Part of me hoped she'd sing the infamous 'crown of shit' line... but of course, she doesn't. This is strictly PG rated. But still, rather amazing.)

Leona's cover of Hurt features on the forthcoming EP of the same name alongside other cover version, including the Goo Goo Dolls' Iris.

Luminites cover 'Streets of London' for Centrepoint UK Christmas campaign

Quirk-pop upstarts Luminites are all about positive vibes and good feeling - their single All Dressed Up is irresistibly upbeat, a smile-driven bit of juicy pop delicacy.

But turning to more serious matters, the band have teamed up with Centerpoint to record a cover of 70s hit Streets of London - all in aid of raising £300,000 to help out homeless young people; fixing them up with education, accommodation and employment.

It's a heartfelt, earnest take on the song - full of sentimental feeling and soft harmonies against a gentle backing of acoustic guitar. Then the beat and a load of synths kick in and it turns into a full-on epic-athon. Amazing.

The band's good deeds have already caught the attention of the Metro and Evening Standard, and if you fancy doing your bit to help too, you can download the track on iTunes now.

Lawson cover Lady Gaga's Marry The Night!

You'll be hearing a lot about Lawson in the coming months. They're one of the UK's most excited up and coming boy bands, pushing a more mature brand of rock-pop - they play all their instruments too.

But don't be mistaken in calling them 'just another McFly/Busted', their tracks speak of a far greater level of musicality, and even on this Lady Gaga cover version, their talent speaks for itself.

Now, I'm not much of a fan of the original, but this cover sounds brilliant - throwing some elegant little bluesy guitar licks in and the husky vocals of lead singer Andy Brown into the mix, it transforms the track from disco stormer into gentle campfire classic.

The band are fresh from supporting the likes of Avril Lavigne, The Wanted and Will Young, taking to LA to finish off recording for their debut album, and judging by tracks like Red Sky - which we featured on the blog last month - we should be in for a treat upon its completion.

The band are also set to play a number of live dates early next year:

JANUARY 2012
Mon 16TH             BRIGHTON THE HAUNT
Tues 17TH             BRISTOL FLEECE  
Wed 18TH             LONDON ISLINGTON O2 ACADEMY 2 
Thurs 19TH            BIRMINGHAM RAINBOW
Fri 20TH                MANCHESTER SOUND CONTROL
Sat 21ST                GLASGOW KING TUTS 

Oh My! cover The Saturdays' Higher!

When awesome new pop duo Oh My! meet modern day pop classic Higher, you know you're in for a treat. Here the feisty twosome girls tackle The Saturdays hit single with suitably rave-tastic results - imagine the song propelled through a Super Mario 8-bit sound card and you'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect.

With their flirty, uber-trendy pop credentials, Oh My! have already taken the blogosphere by storm, and this cover makes for a fitting celebration of the girls' opening night supporting The Saturdays on tour.

We can't wait for the London date!

Download Oh My!'s cover of Higher on their official Facebook page.

Lauren Aquilina - Get Here

Christmas is always the traditional time for charity singles - there's something about the cold winter chill and being together with family that makes us realise that there's those out there that are in need.

Praise is deserving of Bristol born singer-songwriter Lauren Aquilina who's donating the proceeds of her single Get Here to the Meningitis Trust. The track is a cover of the 1990 Oleta Adams song and Lauren's version affects it with a genuinely moving tenderness by way of some crystalline piano chords and equally clear vocals.

It's an impressively proficient performance for someone only 16 years old and it'd be a good bet that the girl will be going places in the industry in years to come - voices this good don't just disappear. More of Lauren's original material is available on her website, including the songs Robots, Never Change and More Than You.

Get Here is released on the 4th December.

Nerina Pallot covers Radiohead's 'High And Dry'

What with the plethora of breathy, slow piano versions of songs doing the rounds at the moment on an assortment of random adverts, you'd be forgiven for not wanting to ever hear another. But wait, because Nerina Pallot is here to save the day.

Her version of Radiohead's classic High And Dry works so well because it feels genuine, a heartfelt statement of intent rather than these cheap and thoughtless commercially driven ad covers. Nerina's vocals are delicately, sensually soulful - elevating the haunting, ethereal tones of the original to a whole new level of magnificence.

Properly beautiful.

Listen to the cover version on Radio 2's online player - 1.42 into the show.

Seal - Wishing On A Star

Seal and soul. Two words linked with the smoothest of ease. As the lead single from Seal's follow-up to 2008's Soul album, Wishing On A Star sees the legendary singer teaming up with equally predigious producer Trevor Horn for a beautifully realised version of the Rose Royce track.

Seal captures all the essence and class of the 1978 original while polishing up with his charicteristic conemporary sheen. The result is suitably glossy, every instrument and vocal flourish picked out with crystal clarity.

Every snippet of the song feels like a vignette of the most sumptuous luxury wine, a heady mix of beauty and full-bodied flavour; a calibre that is carried through to the track's b-side Let's Stay Together.

Seal once again epitomises that magical instance of when singer, producer and concept reaches a perfect equilibrium. Another impressive chapter to add to the man's career.

Wishing On A Star is released on the 21st November.

The Horrors cover David Bowie classic 'Suffragette City'

In a week when we've already had Films of Colour covering a Bowie track, here's another! This time, it's those favourite gloom-pop purveyors The Horrors tackling the classic Suffragette City.

Normally I'd be wary of any act going for such an iconic track, but if any contemporary act has the gravitas and 'sound' to record a Bowie number, it's The Horrors.

For starters, the band play their cover wisely, sticking close to the original mold - their take is suitably punky, laced with that brilliant little synth-organ hook that serves as one of my top moments in the original.

It's not quite as 'out there' as the band's recent cover of Beyonce, but then, you wouldn't want it to be.

Fanfair cover Labrinth's Let The Sun Shine

As the summer months fall away and winter begins to creep in, it's fair to say we'd all like a bit more sun in our lives. Good job that up and coming girl group Fanfair have done a rather nice cover of Labrinth's Let The Sun Shine then!

Nice acoustic guitar and great vocal harmonies - just what we like!

The girls also recently debuted preview clips of three of their own songs:

Miracle (The best of the three, guitar driven electro-pop, co-written by Ina Wroldsen)
As I Am (Sultry, mid-tempo R&B ballad type, quite Pussycat Dolls-esque)
Take Me Away (Cheery, tropical sounding track, think La Isla Bonita for the 21st century)

Fanfair are definitely ones to watch!

Parade cover Ed Sheeran's 'The A Team'!

You can always count on the Parade girls to turn out a great little acoustic cover version of some of the biggest chart hits around at the moment. Carefree, laid-back, gorgeous harmonies - these are the essential ingredients of a Parade cover.

So, this time we see the girls sitting down in a park with their guitarist, with the remains of what looks like a picnic around them (plus some rather nice cushions) - their cover of choice this time? Ed Sheeran's The A Team.

Now, I'll be the first to admit I'm not a big fan of Ed Sheeran - in particular this track - but Parade's cover is absolutely gorgeous, one of their best versions to date. The song is one of those that seems to inherently benefit from a female vocal and the nice little adlibs and harmonies just seem to bring out a real tenderness in the track.

Beautiful stuff as always girls!

Sunday Girl - Love U More

It's been quite a week for Sunday Girl fans - first we get her brilliant collab with Martin Solveig, and now her long awaited next single-proper, the follow-up to the sublime Stop Hey.

New track Love U More is a cover of Sunscreem's 1992 dance hit. Steps even had a bash at the track...

Sunday Girl's version is of course, very good - it's the kind of super-uplifting trance number that hardened club fanatic's dream over when they think back to the golden days of their youth. Jade's voice suits the track perfectly, she's got the gift of that wonderful hushed, sultry quality to her vocals.

Could this be the song to finally push Sunday Girl to the masses? We certainly hope so! The UK's been crying out for a big, proper homegrown club hit like this amidst all the US indentikit productions of late.

Love U More is released on the 30th October.

Sunday Girl - Love U More by Sunday Girl

Erasure cover the Tomorrow's World theme tune

Erasure have come up with some pretty nifty cover versions for b-sides in the past. We've had all sorts from In The Hall of the Mountain King right down to their assortment of amazing takes on ABBA (Voulez-Vous is one of my personal faves).

For the flip side of their latest single, the Erasure boys have turned to classic TV series Tomorrow's World, the inspiration behind the title of their new album.

As to be expected, their cover is full of more electronic bleeps and whizzes than there are sweets in a sweet shop - by the end it sounds as if it's about to go off into Kylie's The One. Basically, it's Well Good.

Erasure's Tomorrow's World album is released on the 3rd October and can be pre-ordered here.