True Colours tribute brings eccentricity
One thing about a cover of a great song: it’s bound to start conversations. Some would say it shows the difference between passion and respect and in a lot of cases how the two intermix.
True Colours, the most commercially successful album of New Zealand group Split Enz’s career, celebrated its 40th (ruby) anniversary last year and re-entered the charts at No 1.
To commemorate the milestone, the multi-platinum album has been reimagined and covered by a stellar mix of Australian and New Zealand artists, each taking a song they love and adding their unique creative flair.
Released as True Colours, New Colours — The Songs of Split Enz, it is the first time an entire Split Enz record has been covered from front to back, unlike the earlier They Will Have Their Way project, which featured a myriad of acts giving modern spins on songs from across Tim and Neil Finn’s catalogue.
Even better, we have three copies in hot pink vinyl up for grabs so you can see for yourself just how much passion and respect there is for the music of one of New Zealand’s most iconic bands.
The Beths, recently on tour with Crowded House, deliver What’s The Matter With You in two rollicking minutes of brisk, driving power-pop. Electropop veteran Ladyhawke retools the landscape of I Wouldn’t Dream Of It to amplify its new-wave flavour with impressive results.
Auckland duo Dual smash the ball out of the park when serving up their version of Eddie Rayner’s instrumental Double Happy that is simultaneously faithful to the source material and adventurous in its own rights.
Also in the line-up are Chelsea Jade — Shark Attack, Bernard Fanning (Powderfinger) — I Hope I Never, Lime Cordiale — Nobody Takes Me Seriously,
Busby Marou — Missing Person, Stan Walker — Poor Boy, Robinson —
How Can I Resist Her and The Choral Sea — Pacific Heights.
The pick of the litter though has to be Shihad’s I Got You. Shihad have broken records with their rock-ier version of I Got You, which sat at No 1 on the Radioscope Rock Chart for 19 consecutive weeks — making it the longest consecutive No 1 on rock radio for the past 20 years.
On the project, Tim Finn of Split Enz notes, “True Colours, New Colours
features an eclectic group of artists who bring eccentricity and swagger to these tunes. Curated in a singular manner which eschews the obvious and turns up the attitude. Love it!”
And speaking of Tim, don’t forget that son Harper, who is making a huge impression in his own right, proving that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, is playing at Sweat Shop Brew Kitchen (R.18), Victoria Quadrant, Auckland — Saturday, May 15 with L A Women.
Meanwhile, pick up a very collectible copy of an album that complements the original and can rightly and proudly occupy a place in your record collection.
In last week’s paper the prize on offer was, as stated twice in the copy, one of Harper’s very collectible and very listenable and much sought after 7in vinyl singles containing Conversations (With the Moon) and Teenage Queen. A sub-head incorrectly stated that the prize was a double pass; we apologise for any confusion.