User:Zaph/Covers

I play a bunch of instruments, and I've recorded quite a few TMBG songs in my home studio. The songs I record are chosen mostly by the random chance of what gets stuck in my head and what I think I can arrange interestingly. Sometimes, though, as in the case of Rhythm Section Want Ad and Climbing The Walls, they're just songs I really like.

The songs, in relatively chronological order.

• Metal Detector (2000) - I originally tried to play it straight, and just couldn't replicate the synth well enough, so I eventually went with a more acoustic approach, making the rhythm slightly swingier and upbeat. The current incarnation of this recording actually sounds like it might if Guster covered the song. And now you can hear it right here: Metal Detector
• Ant (2000) - When I first bought an eBow, I wanted to put it to good use, so I recorded the horn parts in this song with it, over an acoustic guitar, bass, and electric guitar. Not my best recording, but then, not the easiest song to adapt, either. And then I redid it in 2015 and it came out a lot better, with added mandolin, melodica, and drums: Ant
• See The Constellation (2000) - punk. Need I say more?
• Dinner Bell (2000) - I figured out that the refrain of Moxy Früvous's song, Johnny Saucep'n could fit perfectly over one of the verses of Dinner Bell, and recorded it that way. This song is incredibly hard to play on the guitar. Rerecorded in 2016: Dinner Bell
• Certain People I Could Name (2001) - Very folky. Not quite fingerpicked, because I suck at fingerpicking, but I've played the guitar with a similar riff to what the piano plays in the original version, and I've added violin (fake, because none of my violin-playing TMBG-fan friends have had a chance to record a real one for me).
• Dead (2001) - I asked a friend to name a TMBG song, without revealing my intentions. She picked Dead. About an hour later, I had a recording of the song with acoustic guitar, electric guitar, bass, and a little-too-precise programmed drum track. It's still one of my favourite TMBG covers that I've done. I recently redid it with live drums and put a video on YouTube: Dead
• It's Not My Birthday (2004) - I recorded this, ironically, on my birthday. I had just bought a new banjo, and I felt that the song lent itself to bluegrass, so I picked away at it, then put down guitar, bass, and mandolin, and had my first, but not last, bluegrass TMBG cover. Still ironic, I updated this one on January 25, 2018: It's Not My Birthday
• All of John Henry (2005-). My most ambitious project, obviously, and still ongoing. I'm recording acoustic arrangements of all the songs - at least, there will be no electric guitar or organ. The drums are electronic because I live in an apartment and can't get away with playing a real kit. The rest of the instrumentation is acoustic guitar, acoustic 12-string guitar, mandolin, banjo, melodica, accordion, and some hand percussion. The horn parts are played mostly on accordion and melodica, with some harmonica in Dirt Bike.
  • Snail Shell
  • Sleeping in the Flowers
  • Unrelated Thing
  • AKA Driver
  • I Should Be Allowed To Think
  • Why Must I Be Sad?
  • No One Knows My Plan
  • Destination Moon
  • A Self Called Nowhere
  • Meet James Ensor
  • Thermostat
  • Window
  • The End of the Tour
• Whistling In The Dark (2007) - not a whole lot special about this, but the trumpet parts are played on accordion and melodica, and I've given it a much more 6/8 feel. Only problem is I'm more of an alto, and this song is well below my range.
• When It Rains It Snows (2007) - I had this stuck in my head for a very long time and thought it would sound good with banjo. It does, but I've played it several beats per minute too slow, so it sounds a lot more depressing than their version. I've also decided I like it that depressing. I just re-recorded it, though, a little bit faster and with a better mix than before. When It Rains It Snows
• Rhythm Section Want Ad (2007) - I wanted to go for a Guster-like sound here, too, figuring I could sequence in some really fake hand drums, but I found that playing the accordion solo on the guitar was pretty much impossible, so instead, I decided to play this the way TMBG do, fake drums and all. It came out rather better than I expected.
• Spiraling Shape (2008) - No, I don't have a vibrophone. But if I turn the reverb way up and pluck the guitar with my fingers, I get a sound that works in its place. Add in flat-picked guitar for the refrains, upright bass, electric guitar, and some really really insane drumming, and this is actually one of the covers I've done closer to the original.
• Climbing The Walls (2008) - One of the few songs they've done since 1996 that I really like, and I've recorded my 'typical' arrangement - acoustic rhythm guitar, electric lead(ish), fretless bass, and drums. Initially recorded in 2008, redone in 2015: Climbing the Walls
• The World's Address (2012) - I've finally figured out how to play it and put the video on YouTube: The World's Address
• She's An Angel (2013) - I stayed pretty true to the original, and I made this completely silly video: She's An Angel
• Fingertips (2013) - With the help of my friend, Carey, I put together this massive production, which was quite the challenge: Fingertips
• Mrs. Train (2014) - Because I am apparently insane, I also attempted to figure out how to play this song, which was no easy feat due to the constantly changing tempo. But I was moderately successful and created a bluegrass-esque arrangement: Mrs. Train
• Maine (2014) - I'd also done this earlier, but I guess I never mentioned it here. It's acoustic, as usual these days, with the banjo playing the keyboard triplets from the original. Maine
• Welcome To The Jungle (2015) - I thought to do this on the piano because at the time I had access to a real one, but it kind of drowned out my vocals, so I just redid it live on my keyboard. It works surprisingly well on the piano. Welcome To The Jungle
• I Blame You (2015) - Only one of TMBG's most depressing songs ever. I didn't quite nail all the harmonies, but I mostly like the way it turned out. I Blame You
• They'll Need A Crane (2015) - This was surprisingly challenging to get the rhythm right on. They'll Need a Crane
• The House At The Top Of The Tree (2015) - I had meant to do this a while ago, but at the time my camera's mic wasn't picking up my voice well enough. I was still afraid the accordion would drown out my voice, but it ended up working pretty well. The House at the Top of the Tree
• Till My Head Falls Off (2016) - Like so many of the others I've done, I had a sparse arrangement that I'd made years ago, but revisted again with the ability to include more and more tracks. It's possible I overdid it. Till My Head Falls Off