When is a cover song better than the original? Only you can decide. This week Jay Reatard takes on Beck’s “Gamma Ray.” MAGNET’s Edward Fairchild pulls the pin. Take cover!
It’s a fucking shame that we’re not going to get any more new music from the late Jay Reatard. (His final album, Watch Me Fall, made MAGNET’s list of the 20 best albums of 2009.) Two years ago, Beck asked Reatard to re-record “Gamma Ray” for the single’s b-side. Frantic, multi-tracked vocals and a jolt of adrenaline were all he needed to make you forget who wrote the song in the first place. You will be missed, Jay.
The Cover:
The Original:
One reply on “Take Cover! Jay Reatard Vs. Beck”
Reatard’s version makes my foot tap and my head nod just a little bit harder.
It rocks.