Band covers cult faves, attempt fails miserably

By Kelly Lucas
Summer Reporter

Covering a popular song can get your foot in the door, but who knew it could take your foot, rip it off and throw it back out that same door?

Sure, Snake River Conspiracy has enjoyed radio success with the cover of The Smiths’ classic "How Soon is Now?" but covering another cult classic like The Cure’s "Lovesong" is a deathwish for any new band.

Snake River Conspiracy transforms the two cult classics into an industrial calamity. It’s hard to cover a song, especially two songs from two bands that have a tremendous following. But to do it well is virtually unheard of.

It worked for Orgy when they covered New Order’s "Blue Monday," but, unfortunately, it’s not working for Snake River Conspiracy. The other tracks on the band’s first album, "Sonic Jihad," lack musical greatness and lyrical genius. At least, Orgy had radio hits that weren’t covers; my prediction for Snake River Conspiracy is that they will not.

Some of the tracks on the album musically parallel such bands as Orgy and Marilyn Manson, the only difference is the singer, not only looks like a chick, she really is a chick. On the other hand, tracks such as "Strangled," "Casualty" and "You and Your Friend" have a poppy, dreamy feel to them reminiscent of Garbage.

On "You and Your Friend," Tobey Torres, lead singer, demonstrates her sexy, sultry vocals. "I spend all my time on the telephone line trying to say it just right this time — something that could change your mind/I know this is love and I feel it there/Whisper something so sincere — exactly what you want to hear/Honest I do, I care for you…And I hope you feel the same way too."

However, Torres’ attitude suddenly turns sour on tracks such as "Vulcan."

On "Vulcan" Torres, who looks striking similar to Bif Naked only attractive, demonstrates some of her lyrical ignorance as she screams, "(expletive) you and your disco flavor hot sauce on your snake skin boots…In a maroon velour sweat suit playing your brand new urn…(expletive) uncle shifter’s got the night towel/I’d kiss you but you’re covered in piss/Punk, are you threatening me?" Does this make sense to anyone?

At one point, Torres is screaming obscenities and the next minute she’s singing sweet, loving lyrics. Make up your mind already.

Another thing that struck me is that they seem to be doing everything that is popular in the music world these days: recording covers, having a sexy frontwoman and sounding just like everyone else.

The song "Breed" sounds like a cheap rip-off of Aphex Twin’s "Windowlicker," while "Somebody Hates You" sounds like Guster’s "Fa Fa" on crack.

On "Somebody Hates You," Torres sings, "Another night, another life/I can’t take this anymore/Another life, another night drunk and passed out on the floor. You’re no one ‘til someone, no one ‘til someone hates you." As she sings, a "Ba ba ba ba ba" melody, similar to the "Fa fa fa fa" melody of Guster, follows her every screech.

But, Snake River Conspiracy’s experimentation with covers does not stop on this album, they’ve also done a cover of the Beatles’ "She Said She Said," on a recently released EP.