“Artificial Energy” (The Byrds Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Oh yeah – I get to bring in my favorite day to one of the cooler songs I know.

That’s right, it’s Thumpin’ Thursday® – naturally trademarked by yours truly.  I’m dedicated to bringing you not only every TT that I have left in the year, but in 2009 I hope you can count on your Thursdays every week to always be a Thumpin’ one.

And to go right along to that theme, I have a great tune from The Byrds tonight.  From their album “The Notorious Byrd Brothers” is a song introduced to me by (who else) Jim Fusco.  It’s the first track of the album and it’s a great album starter called “Artificial Energy”.  The song has an awesome horn part that overlays the entire song.  This album and song were recorded in 1967 – over 40 years ago.  A stereo version of the song is noted by having the horns loud enough to cause distortion that was still atypical to a record.

The album this comes from is one i’d like to hear.  I’ve read that it is one of their best albums, if somewhat short.

I also wanted to bring this song to the sessions to remind Jim of his days at Wesleyan University.  I hope your roommate was a Byrds’ fan man.

That does it for me tonight – I hope you enjoyed the session! There are plenty more from all of us in the archive.

I hope you enjoy today’s session!

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up.  We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session.  We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and original music blog again in the future.  But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up. We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session. We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and origianal music blog again in the future. But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!

More Laptop Sessions covers

“Losing My Religion” (R.E.M. Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Welcome to your Monday edition of The Laptop Sessions. I’d like to take this opportunity (since everyone reads descriptions) to say hello to another wave of students who have discovered their math/science teacher is on Youtube.

Anyway, todays song is an awesome song from REM called “Losing My Religion”. It’s from their 1991 album “Out of Time” which contains this song among other well known songs such as “Shiny Happy People” and “Radio Song”.

I love this song a lot and always turn it up when it comes on the radio. The video is always an interesting one to watch as well. Few are sure of what the song is about – I think it could be about a forceful religious conversion.

I hope you enjoy this version – even though I sang a slightly incorrect line in the last chorus. I think this version was a great one and I hope you agree!

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up.  We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session.  We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and origianal music blog again in the future.  But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!

More Laptop Sessions covers

“A Horse With No Name” (America Cover)

By Jeff Copperthite:

Good evening to you. It’s Jeff Copperthite today with www.guitarbucketlist.com. Today I bring you my first tune from America, which is a band I have been slowly getting into the past 2 years or so.

After our live show at Testa’s Saturday night (which was GREAT! Look for some pictures and video soon on our site), we had a fan request an America song after our 2nd song, so we gave it to him. That made me want to play more, so yesterday I learned the song that I bring you today.

I also know this is one of the most well-known songs by America (and in the world for that matter). I love the strumming pattern and the chords that go with this song. When you hear the song you think it’s tough to play. I hope that this cover is appreciated by the die-hard America fans, as I am slowly joining your ranks the more I hear their music.

I also had the privilege of seeing them in concert this past year (w/ Jim Fusco and Chris Moore as well), and of course they closed their show with this song, and a 3 minute guitar solo by Gerry.

You can’t go wrong with this song. I hope you enjoy this edition — and explore the archives for more Laptop Sessions covers!!

Editor’s Note: Unfortunately, Jeff’s acoustic cover song music videos are no longer on YouTube, but we decided to keep his cover song blog posts up.  We figured these music blog entries would be good for posterity’s sake and because Jeff always gave such insightful posts each Session.  We hope to see Jeff’s impressive catalog of acoustic rock songs here on the Laptop Sessions cover songs and origianal music blog again in the future.  But, for now, please make sure to check-out hundreds of other acoustic cover songs from all of your favorite bands here on the Laptop Sessions music blog!

More Laptop Sessions covers

The Weekend Review: August 2012 Report

The Circle in the Square (Flobots)

Released: August 28, 2012

Rating:  3.5 / 5 stars

Top Two Tracks: “The Circle in the Square” & “Run (Run Run Run)”

The Flobots’ latest release has continued the downward sales trend since their breakthrough success with 2008’s Fights With Tools.  Still, the Flobots bring their breakneck speed, frustration, and energy to The Circle in the Square, combining rock music instruments with a rap artist’s approach to lyrics and vocals.  Where the album perhaps falls short is in its overall artfulness: there was a unique sense of poeticism on Fights With Tools that is achieved only briefly on this new album, and there are stretches when it feels entirely protest-driven in the extreme, sounding the call to action over and over.  This sense of mission also provides for some of the best, most catchy and energizing moments on the album, such as during “Run (Run Run Run)” when Jamie Laurie sings the refrain: “If the sun will rise even one more time, so will I, so will I!”

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