October treated us to six beautiful acoustic covers spanning four different decades, with two new faces making their debut on the blog! Let's go through them in chronological order.
ain’t no mountain high enough - figuers, Phoebe Scott
We start with Ain't No Mountain High Enough by figuers, this time joined by Phoebe Scott. It's crazy to think that the original was released almost 60 years ago, isn't it? What's more reassuring is that no matter who figuers collaborate with, their formula never seems to change: acoustic guitar, falsetto vocals, and that signature soft touch.
The Promise - Joanne Bird
Next up is The Promise, the 80s hit by When in Rome, reimagined by Joanne Bird as an emotional folk ballad. The original's synthesizers and electronic drums have been replaced by acoustic guitars and piano, giving the song a completely different atmosphere. After Closing Time, Joanne once again proves she knows how to make a great acoustic cover.
Listen to Your Heart - trolly
Interestingly, our third cover comes from the very same year as The Promise: Listen to Your Heart by Roxette, performed by our usual suspect, trolly. As always, he takes a big pop hit and strips it down to its acoustic essentials. By now, I think we all know his formula works!
Such Great Heights - Michael Bernard Fitzgerald
With Such Great Heights, we welcome our first new face: Michael Bernard Fitzgerald, straight from his new album Van Town. Just like Iron & Wine, Fitzgerald chose an arpeggiated acoustic guitar to reinterpret The Postal Service's 2003 hit. His version is noticeably faster than Iron & Wine's, but just as effective in its own way.
Somebody that I used to know - Daudia
Our fifth cover is Somebody That I Used to Know by Daudia, who seem to have started releasing acoustic covers more regularly lately. The original's iconic plucked guitar riff is simply too good to replace, and thankfully they decided to keep it. In this version, Davide's vocals take center stage, and I'm certainly not complaining!
Stubborn Love - Lonely Mountain
Finally, we welcome another new name: Lonely Mountain, a duo I discovered thanks to Instagram's algorithm. Their cover of The Lumineers' Stubborn Love brings together acoustic guitar, banjo, and vocals for a beautiful folk arrangement. Luckily, there are still people online encouraging artists to release their covers on streaming platforms. Otherwise, we might never have gotten this little gem!
That's it for October! Six covers, four decades of music, and two new artists to discover. As always, let me know which one is your favorite!