Scarlett Johansson Covers Tom Waits

#1 QuickTidal

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Posted 30 April 2008 - 02:57 AM

Okay, I need your opinions.

Scarlett has recorded an album of mostly Tom Waits covers, and has released the single (Falling Down). Now, I like Waits, and I know his version, and when I HEARD Scarlett was doing this I cringed, and then I began to hear people hated it, and that even radio DJ's don't like it...so I went and found it on my own...and you know what? I think it's great. I think people may have been expecting pop music from her, or something lighter. This is dismal subject matter about how life can suck, and she brings the same sort of low register tones that Tom brings to his original version. I like that it sounds scratchy. I like that her voice is imperfect and has no polish, and I like that you can even sense her NY accent bleeding through.....I think all that adds a rawness to it. I also like the swishy white noise prevalent throughout, like it was recorded on old DAT tapes. Very DIY.

I dunno, maybe I am crazy. Whatchoo people think?

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=CdLGcHUg3Dk

"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora

“Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone.” ~Ursula Vernon

#2 Aptorian

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Posted 30 April 2008 - 04:20 AM

I liked it.

Of course, I don't know who Tom Waits is and I don't know what the song sounded like before, but it was cool. Sort of nice music to wake up to.

#3 drinksinbars

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Posted 30 April 2008 - 10:13 AM

i love tom waits - nighthawks is a great album - cant check this out at work, but may give it a blast at home tomorrow night

#4 RatManHEB

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Posted 30 April 2008 - 12:32 PM

Wow. That was... interesting. I'm not really sure if I liked it or not, but it was definitely unexpected. I think it's worth a listen. The video is pretty good.

Plus she is gorgeous. I seem to recall an unhealthy obsession with "Ghost World" and "Lost in Translation" in my earlier years. hehe And she's in Woody Allen movies. Woody Allen knows his young women hehe. If she's good enough for him, she's good enough for me.

#5 Lost Marine

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Posted 30 April 2008 - 12:33 PM

No, she doesn't have anything interesting, it's just like someone singing in the shower badly. I'm not a pop music fan by any stretch of the imagination so it wasn't because that was what I wanted to hear. But there's no emotion or inflection that I can hear. She should be happy that she's the most beautiful woman in the universe.

#6 RatManHEB

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Posted 30 April 2008 - 01:13 PM

Oh come on. Looks don't mean everything. If they did I would have killed myself a long long long time ago. It's hard to be happy in this day and age. Or maybe any age. I dunno some people are just drawn towards seeing things from a darker perspective.

#7 Darkwatch

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Posted 30 April 2008 - 01:31 PM

I just listened to it. Going to have to say that I don't like it, just sounds bad to my ears.

Lost Marine;297924 said:

She should be happy that she's the most beautiful woman in the universe.

That is still a very debatable point.

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#8 Yellow

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Posted 30 April 2008 - 08:15 PM

The only song of Tom Waits' I've ever listened to is "What's he building in there?", which needs no cover version.

But this Johansson stuff is actually pretty good

I'm motivated to go listen to some more Tom Waits, but I'd also like to listen to her version as well. Her voice seems to fit the piece, and she's fit to boot! (she looks good in glasses)

Don't fuck with the Culture.

#9 Slum

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Posted 30 April 2008 - 09:19 PM

Well, I love Waits' music, so I was skeptical when I heard of this project...but the song ain't bad. I like her raspy style. The video, however, is not good at all. Johansen doing a photo shoot?

I also wonder if that's the best song on her album...

#10 QuickTidal

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Posted 30 April 2008 - 10:45 PM

I found out that the guy who is behind the band "TV On The Radio" produced it, which explains the sound, as it sounds very much like TV On The Radio with female vocals.

I've been listening all day today, and I still dig it.

"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora

“Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone.” ~Ursula Vernon

#11 Slum

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Posted 15 May 2008 - 02:39 AM

I got the whole album off the torrents...it's rather unremarkable.

#12 QuickTidal

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Posted 15 May 2008 - 03:35 AM

Slumgullion Spitteler;308741 said:

I got the whole album off the torrents...it's rather unremarkable.

I'll have to look for it.

"When the last tree has fallen, and the rivers are poisoned, you cannot eat money, oh no." ~Aurora

“Someone will always try to sell you despair, just so they don't feel alone.” ~Ursula Vernon

#13 Aptorian

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Posted 15 May 2008 - 04:27 AM

Yellow;298136 said:

The only song of Tom Waits' I've ever listened to is "What's he building in there?", which needs no cover version.

But this Johansson stuff is actually pretty good

I'm motivated to go listen to some more Tom Waits, but I'd also like to listen to her version as well. Her voice seems to fit the piece, and she's fit to boot! (she looks good in glasses)

Well, that's just a creepy link. I'm glad it's early in the morning:

Found this video related to it:

Chokolate Jesus: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1wfamPW3Eaw&feature=related

The guy is amazing.