Now, I’m a fairly sizable Radiohead fan. I picked up tickets for their upcoming stop at the Hollywood Bowl. I used to scour the net for b-sides and the rare acoustic stuff. I used to shell out cash for a variety of import disks in the pre-MP3 days. Who’s got the Japanese only Itch EP…I do. That said, it’s been a long time since I’ve actually listened to any early-era Radiohead, but I recently discovered this fantastic live recording of Scala & Kolacny Brothers doing a beautifully sullen piano and voice rendition of Radiohead’s ubiquitous 1993 single. The cluster of sixty something Belgian women focus primarily on minimalist reworkings of pop tunes: Kraftwerk, The Knife, Placebo, Bjork, Coldplay, Air & (regrettably) The Cure…yeah, I still don’t like The Cure.
Now, this is a fine example of a cover bringing a new dynamic to a well established song. There’s nothing quite like the sound of multiple voices stacked together (in a more freewheeling light, see also: Arcade Fire live). I’m not 100% behind the straight piano accompaniment, but on the other hand, it does feel like a slight stylistic nod to the ballad-y version of ‘Like Spinning Plates’ off 2001’s I Might Be Wrong: Live Recordings. Either way, the track’s slow build manages to become more and more atmospheric as it progresses. The half whispering of the line ‘I wish I was special’ towards the end, in combination with the slight glimmers of accents throughout the whole song just make it for me. A delightful take on a well established classic.
Scala & Kloancy Brothers - Creep (Live)
that is beautiful…
An already beautiful song, even better.
I comment because I wish to leave a small and insignificant mark on the world for you to look at: Boobies.
Gorgeous.
wow
you float like a feather in a beautiful world.
[iwishiwasspecial]
This is so awesome! I totally did not expect this to be as brilliant as it was!
the piano puts me strongly in mind of the live version of Fog that yorke does. Clearly this is a fan tribute, not just a cover.
There’s something unholy about hearing those girls singing the word “fucking”. And i love it
omg and i thought this song couldnt get any better.love it
Curiously sinister yet amazingly beautiful. Love it.
it puts tingles up my spine
LOve it
Error 101? That’s my FAVORITE error!
i got chills when the singing started. i love this version
damn, I love Belgium!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You should listen to other songs of Scala. They did a tour called “Scala on the rocks” with all kind of these remade songs. Teenage Dirtbag, Bittersweet Symphony, Someone New, Under The Bridge and so much more! Again, proud to be a Belgian
Painfully beautiful. The sweetness of the voices is unbearable.
Scala has a lot of other and even better songs like these covered.
Too bad it took so long before you US guys discovered them because this song’s already more than 5 years old.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcjec7WZ41s&feature=related
lovely song “With or without you”
Scala is indeed magnificent. But instead of “60 belgian women” you’d better describe them as 60 Flemish girls (”roughly sixty teenage girls” (http://www.scalachoir.com/en/index.htm)).
Their version of Smells Like Teen Spirit is also sending shivers down your spine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ui2a2KTx60s&feature=related
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The way they sing enhances the words of the song, so beautiful.
[...] Me gustan las versiones, me gustan ellas [...]
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This would make excellent soundtrack music . . .
[...] 60 Belgian Women Sing Radiohead’s ‘Creep’: Yes, it’s as beautiful as you’d think it would be. (via) [...]
haha they sound like they are 12 and the dropped the F BOMB