Cryogenic Husk

Most anticipated Records of 2013

Cryogenic Husk #4 - The Cure Covers

There are a million different cover songs of The Cure out there. We’d say about 90% of them are in the indierock/pop/electronic/whatever genres, basically sticking within the stylistic framework of The Cure themselves. That’s all fine and dandy, but we think most people would agree that when a band can take a song from another musician and mold it into their own, making it something new, unique and fresh, THEN is when it has been properly covered. “Oh yea? You covered a song by The Cure? Guess what - The Cure did it first and they did it better than you, so just stop.”

With that idea in mind, we made a mix of cover songs of The Cure that were different, a little left of center and in general a little heavier than the original. (We wanted to put Indecision’s “Just Like Heaven” on here, but it was just horrible. Compounding the horribleness of it was its placement: on a split with the UK’s beatdown hardcore bruisers Knuckledust. That’s like having an emo band open for Terror.)

                                   Cryogenic Husk #4 - The Cure Covers

• 1) Misery Loves Co. - The Drowning Man
• 2) Year Of No Light- The Figurehead
• 3) Carpathian Forest- A Forest
• 4) Nadja- One Hundred Years
• 5) Converge- Disintegration
• 6) Deftones- If Only Tonight We Could Sleep
• 7) Dinosaur Jr.- Just Like Heaven
• 8) Cave In- Plainsong
• 9) Jesu- The Funeral Party
• 10) Snake River Conspiracy- Lovesong
• 11) Nadja – Faith

1) Misery Loves Co. - The Drowning Man

One of my favorite cover songs of all time. I picked up Your Vision Was Never Mine To Share when I was on tour in New York back in 2000 right after it came out. Predominantly labeled as “industrial metal”, as the Swedish duo evolved up to this point, they progressively began painting with a much broader brush musically. I interviewed singer Patrik Wiren when the album came out and he mentioned at least a couple of times his love for Joy Division, The Cure and so on… Like my unofficial mantra for cover songs, I think they made this “their own”.

2) Year Of No Light - The Figurehead

What’s interesting about this cover is that post-metallers Year Of No Light went the direction of stripping this song down from the original. The somber/depressing melody is the backbone, but it’s like the music has been water damaged and faded over time. Kind of like that cassette tape that you played over and over again before you noticed the highs and lows were deteriorating and you were left with mostly the mids in their dried out glory. And yet, you still loved it just as much. I guess that’s why I love this cover, it SOUNDS nostalgic, like a time-worn picture. And while their version of this song is different from The Cure’s, that same feeling of nostalgia is paramount to what made The Cure famous in the first place.

3) Carpathian Forest - A Forest

Context can be everything. Like how this cover song was tacked on to the end of an otherwise abrasive and harsh black metal album. Heard on it’s own, only the chorus gets loud and “in-the-red”, the rest of the track follows a repetitious “one-two” beat and pulsing bassline. And when you think about it, some of the most provocative and emotional songs rely on those two basic elements. When coupled with the forlorn lyrics of the original it makes for a winning combination.

4) Nadja - One Hundred Years

For the uninitiated, Nadja make “wall of sound” their business… and business is good. Layers of distorted, melancholic melodies buzz on top of one another, while vocals reverberate to you from the surface. Back in the dream, the slow motion sizzles keep you warmly sedated.

5) Converge - Disintegration

Chances are, if you’re a fan of heavy/loud music, you’ve heard this one before. It’s appeared on a compilation of The Cure covers featuring hardcore/punk/metal bands (another of which is later in this mix) and was also tacked onto the Y2K EP they put out in ‘99. I like how the song is divided into two halves. The first half bears the closest resemblance to the original, but with more of an industrial twist, before the second half opens up with loud guitars and Bannon’s trademark ‘crazier than a shithouse rat’ vocals.

6) Deftones - If Only Tonight We Could Sleep

This cover appeared on the Deftones ‘Rarities and B-sides’ record, and was recorded live but sounds terrific. Chino probably gives the best delivery for soulful performance on this mix, even sounding similar to Robert Smith at some points with his inflections.

7) Dinosaur Jr. - Just Like Heaven

This was featured on an NME compilation of The Cure covers. To be honest, it’s the weakest link we got here… that being said, imagine how bad Indecision’s take on this song was if I opted to include THIS version instead? A couple more fails: 1) Too close sounding to the original, would rather be listening to The Cure, and 2) What the fuck is going on at 1:46?! Is that shouting/distortion necessary? Wait… maybe it’s so random and out of left field that I like it. Now I’m thinking those ten seconds make the rest of the song look like it’s trying too hard. I guess I’d give this a C-

8) Cave In - Plainsong

This is from the same compilation that Converge’s track appeared on. Very different take on the original. Instead of the goth-synth-pop bliss of The Cure’s version, Cave In, speed the song up a bit, add distortion and viola. Hmm, not sure what else to say, but maybe my complete indifference is a bad sign… At the least, an interesting listen.

9) Jesu - The Funeral Party

From 2008, this track comes from the only cover song collection of The Cure’s that has been “approved” by Robert Smith - whatever that means. But the proceeds from it went to benefit the Invisible Children charity, so cool. Musically, this is just like mid-to-late era Jesu; electronic beats, fuzzy ethereal guitars and delayed vocals… almost like a toned down version of Nadja.

10) Snake River Conspiracy - Lovesong

Although there’s a definite nu-metal tinge to this song, I give kudos for a complete and utter re-working of the track into something completely different. This duo has been gone a long time, but her vocals coupled with electronic synths and industrial beats are something that I was glad to stumble across again when putting this list together.

11) Nadja – Faith

Whoa, Nadja’s covered The Cure twice? Yep. This one comes from their all covers release When I See The Sun Always Shines On TV. Very similar to their previous cover in almost every way. Buzzing, hypnotic, yet melodic, drones emulating a much slowed down version of the original.

Any other covers of The Cure out there you like?

Cryogenic Husk #69 - Penabranca

If you’ve just joined us, or been along the ride for a while, you’ve probably gleaned that we hit a major snag in the road in the summer of 2012 with our site. The long and short of it is, we got hacked/phish’d/malware’d/whatever’d out of existence. Since we’re on a shoestring budget (ie. there is no budget), our site went the way of the Dodo and passed out of existence…

…only to be reborn!

Since some great mixtapes were lost, we’re doing special redux posts on some of our favorite and most popular mixtapes. It seems most appropriate to start with Penabranca. They were the last post before everything went haywire. But beyond that, his mixtape personified what our aim is with these special mixtapes: a unique perspective and counterpart to another medium. In Penabranca’s case: amazing, psychedelic art. When played in tandem with viewing his artistic output the match is completely congruent. The audio is a perfect match for the visual.

In his own words:

“Penabranca means White Feather. And is also a name of an afro-indigenous religious entity well-known in Latin America. I like that background and how the name sounds. 

The work is about having fun. But also works for me, somehow, as meditation. I like playing with the shapes and images, put them together so they can exhale a certain mood, which can be cozy and warm, or fuzzy and energetic.” 

                                 Cryogenic Husk #69 - Penabranca

                                  (Also available via Spotify: HERE) 

1) Lula Côrtes e Zé Remalho - Omm

2) Diva Dompé - Andromeda’s Lullaby

3) Led Zeppelin - No Quarter

4) Hawkwind - Mirror of Illusion

5) Date Palms - Psalm 7

6) Bitchin Bajas - Bajas Ragas

7) Dharana - Joy… Sadness… Joy

8) Headdress - Skydye

9) Barn Owl - Pale Star

1 - Lula Côrtes e Zé Remalho - Omm

This is from a rare brazilian gem, Paebiru. An epic album divided in four parts, the four elements, in which these two guys blended rural and psychedelic vibes in such beautiful way. Still relevant.

2 - Diva Dompé - Andromeda’s Lullaby

I love the lyrics on this one. And how Diva’s swirly melodies and colors flow under boiling textures, like a cosmic waltz. 

3 - Led Zeppelin - No Quarter

This is LZ’s most beautiful song to me. Each instrument has it’s place in a sort of ethereal, deep atmosphere. The melodies also swirl around, colorful, blurry and fuzzy. Do I try to make my artworks like this? Always.

4 - Hawkwind - Mirror of Illusion

This song takes you to a desert in Mars, where the wind whistles for your attention in the stratosphere but rattles keep you listening to the words, staring at the Sun and the Earth shining on the horizon.

5 - Date Palms - Psalm 7

The way the bass is played here gives me the sense of symmetry, a quiet place where the other sounds come to play. Date Palms has been my inspiration ever since, specially for the spirituality in their music.

6 - Bitchin Bajas - Bajas Ragas

These guys can mix sci-fi-ness and psychedelia like no other. It’s impressive how they can make such colorful and rich raga-like tunes using synthesizers and still sound natural. 

7 - Dharana - Joy… Sadness… Joy

Beautiful gem from 1970. So ethnic, shining symmetrically, dividing the song in three parts. Beyond inspiring.

8 -  Headdress - Skydye

Turquoise is far my favorite album from Headdress. Skydye sways the beautiful lyrics about the man in the desert and the moon on the sky in a dizzy and windy walk outside. I like the visions it gives.

9 - Barn Owl - Pale Star

I like how few elements can sometimes be enough to give you a sense of dimension. This song makes you feel tiny, staring at the night sky while the stars go far beyond, echoing, pulling your gaze so strong that you lose the track of time. 

“Mostly, the songs inspire me somehow, for their structures and melodies. They all give me visions that i try to replicate within my art.” 

See more of his mind-blowing and mind-bending visuals here:

http://penabranca.tumblr.com

Saying “bye bye!” to 2012 with a live mix

Playing our fav songs of 2012 LIVE on the radio RIGHT NOW! (including some other gems not on our ‘Best of 2012’ mixtape

Listen here: http://kwcwradio.tumblr.com/listen

Best of 2012 

….AAAAAAAAAAAAAND, we’re back!

And what better foot to lead with than a post highlighting our fav records of 2012? Sorry for the countless delays and blah blah blah (long story short: our shit got hacked), but we’re back, and that’s the important thing. Thanks for everyone who stuck with us and gave a shit. The below mixtape is in no particular order other than going from softer to harder sounds throughout the 20 songs.

Now on with the show…!

                                 Cryogenic Husk #70 - Best Of 2012

1. Tame Impala (Lonerism) - Feels Like We Only Go Backwards
2. Black Marble (A Different Arrangement) - A Great Design
3. The Soft Moon (Zeros) - Insides
4. Chromatics (Kill For Love) - The Page
5. John Maus (A Collection of Rarities and Previously Unreleased Material) - Mental Breakdown
6. Makeup and Vanity Set (88:88) - A Glowing Light, A Promise
7. Chelsea Wolfe (Unknown Rooms: A Collection of Acoustic Songs) - Flatlands
8. Van She (Idea Of Happiness) - You’re My Rescue
9. Trust (TRST) - Gloryhole
10. Bordel Militaire (Bordel Militaire) - So Fear The Blinding White Light
11. The Presets (Pacifica) - Ghosts
12. Swans (The Seer) - Avatar
13. Lotus Plaza (Spooky Action at a Distance) - Strangers
14. A Place to Bury Strangers (Worship) - And I’m Up
15. Death Grips (The Money Store) - Black Jack
16. Tragedy (Darker Days Ahead) - Darker Days Ahead
17. Disfiguring The Goddess (Sleeper) - Daughter Of Depths
18. Gojira (L’Enfant Sauvage) - Liquid Fire
19. Converge (All We Love We Leave Behind) - Sadness Comes Home
20. Pallbearer (Sorrow And Extinction) - Foreigner 

Read More

Cryogenic Husk 2.0-ish

Hey all! Long time no see. We’re back, and rolling via Tumblr - gonna see how this works out. Our last site went through a whole lot of nasty tech problems that we can’t even comprehend, and it’s not worth discussing.

Anyway, our list of 69 various mixtapes will surface again through here along with (more importantly) new mixtapes. So get pumped!

Cheers!

-Cryogenic Husk