According to stereogum.com, artist Tori Amos is known for covering Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit” as the B-side to her 1992 single “Crucify” and on the 2001 album Strange Little Girls, performed songs from Slayer, Eminem and others.
Now, Amos will be teaming up with Trevor Horn to cover a Kendrick Lamar classic. The 80s producer Horn is famous for leading the Buggles and for his work with the Art Of Noise, Frankie Goes To Hollywood, Yes, ABC, Seal and more.
Later this year, the producer will release Echoes: Ancient & Modern, which is a new album where Horn and his guests will take on famous songs from other artists.
The LP features Seal covering Joe Jackson, Rick Astley taking on Yes, Iggy Pop remaking Depeche Mode, and Trevor Horn himself singing Roxy Music’s “Avalon” and Amos is covering Lamar’s 2012 hit “Swimming Pools (Drank).”
Amos does not rap on her Lamar cover but the artist turns the cover song material into soft but intense piano ballads, either drawing out the pathos of the absurdity of the lyrics.
Horn sings backup on the album and plays keyboard, bass and guitar. The musician gets help from old friends including former 10cc member Lol Creme.
In a press release Horn states: “Finding the right singers was as important as finding the songs, probably more so. It’s an album by me, as a kind of auteur. I’m the artist commissioning other artists rather than them hiring me.”
Echoes: Ancient & Modern Tracklist
1 Tori Amos – “Swimming Pools (Drank)” (Kendrick Lamar cover)
2 Rick Astley – “Owner Of A Lonely Heart” (Yes cover)
3 Lady Blackbird – “Slave To The Rhythm” (Grace Jones cover)
4 Toyah & Robert Fripp – “Relax” (Frankie Goes To Hollywood cover)
5 Seal – “Steppin’ Out” (Joe Jackson cover)
6 Marc Almond – “Love Is A Battlefield” (Pat Benatar cover)
7 Steve Hogarth – “Drive” (The Cars cover)
8 Andrea Corr & Jack Lukeman – “White Wedding” (Billy Idol cover)
9 Iggy Pop – “Personal Jesus” (Depeche Mode cover)
10 Jack Lukeman – “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (Nirvana cover)
11 Trevor Horn – “Avalon” (Roxy Music cover)