Lou Barlow covers La Roux for youx
Whereas the original song (by British electropop duo La Roux) is all sheen and hard candy shellac, Lou Barlow‘s interpretation of it is almost haunting. For me when I hear the original, it feels like sparkly nights out dancing, and the lines that stand out are the ones about “been there, done that, messed around, I’m having fun, don’t put me down.” She’s bulletproof the way a cartoon superhero is; she doesn’t bleed real blood.
But here Lou takes it and turns it inside out, makes it echo with all the empty space. When he vows, “this time baby, this time I’ll be…bulletproof,” I find that I don’t believe him, any more than I ever believe we can completely seal off our hearts as hermetically as we’d sometimes like.
Bulletproof (La Roux cover) – Lou Barlow
Watch the three-song video set from SPIN; Barlow has a new album out this month on Merge called Goodnight Unknown.
And speaking of all things Barlow: you Denverites can win tix for Dinosaur Jr‘s upcoming stop Thursday night via the classy people at Donnybrook Writing Academy (they who can be eternally thanked also for this piece on Stupid Band Names).
Name: Heather Browne
Wow. I have heard the original a zillion times & it kinda makes me shudder now – the image of drunk student girls screaming it at me from the booth is hard to shake.
But as a fan of sebadoh i thought i’d give it a go.
You’re right that in exposing a new fragility it’s given the song so much depth. Not sure what reaction i’d get if i dropped this in a club, but it’s the only version that will be played in my house from now on!
If only we could get Lou to tackle “Day’n'Nite”…..
Mojo — October 29, 2009 @ 2:45 am
Goodnight Unknown is excellent. You should also check out his previous album, Emoh.
Side A Track 1 — October 29, 2009 @ 8:30 am
Awesome. Thx.
kt — October 29, 2009 @ 8:58 pm
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