COVER CLASH: Fever Ray vs. First Aid Kit (“When I Grow Up”)
Fever Ray vs. First Aid Kit
Fever Ray
Karin Dreijer Andersson, was originally one half of Grammi-winning (Swedish equivalent of a Grammy; those tricky, Swedes!) electric duo, the Knife, with her brother. Now performing solo under the moniker, Fever Ray, she is known for her theatricality (often donning masks and face paint), haunting vocals, and creating dark daydreams with synth textures.
“When I Grow Up” is a Fever Ray original and is the perfect song to introduce new listeners to her music. Honestly, on the first listen her multi-tracked vocals sound almost Bjork-like. The bass line is gripping and the sparse percussion is quite satisfying and carries the eerie feeling effectively. The single melody line repeated throughout pushes the track forward with a sense of movement.
And here’s the video, which I think suits the track perfectly and adds to its eerie tone.
First Aid Kit
And we’ve got 2 Swedes on the docket today! These two sisters from Stokholm had humble beginnings. They started off posting acoustic videos on youtube and tracks on Myspace, and clearly, they’re doing something right, because now they’re touring all over the world. They have a show in Toronto coming up on October 15.
Their version of Fever Ray’s “When I Grow Up” is a beautiful folk rendition with the girls’ signature harmonies. Completely different from the original, First Aid Kit’s vocals are in the forefront while subtle guitar instrumentation and muted percussion is buried in the mix (save for the intro).
Which version do you prefer? Fever Ray’s spooky electronic take or First Aid Kit’s classic folk?
P.S. What did you think of Glee’s cover of Paramore’s “Only Exception”? I hated it.
