Clash of the Cover Songs: Vampire Weekend vs. Peter Gabriel and Hot Chip

Posted on Feb 19th 2009 2:00PM by Rob Smy
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The Rules for Battle: Each week, we pit versions of the same song by two different artists in a head-to-head death match for musical supremacy. (Sometimes it will be the original recording vs. a cover version; other times it will be two different covers.) Then it's up to you to decide: Listen to and vote on which version you think should emerge victorious and which should be sent packing. May the best band win!

The Song: 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'

The Contestants: Vampire Weekend vs. Peter Gabriel and Hot Chip

In This Corner -- Vampire Weekend: If you haven't heard of these eclectic music blog beloveds, you deserve a visit from Nosferatu himself. Or maybe just a mix tape from a savvy friend. Either way, you should check 'em out -- this band of Columbia University alumni describe their musical style as "Upper West Side Soweto," and this original cut, 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,' demonstrates their liking for "soukous" music -- Congolese rumba -- rather well. The fact that the Vamps name-check their clash competition, Mr. P. Gabriel, in the tune makes the contest all the more piquant.

Vampire Weekend, 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'

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In This Corner -- Peter Gabriel and Hot Chip: This former Genesis frontman and imminently sexagenarian pop-rocker is as well-known for his mainstream solo hit singles 'Solsbury Hill' and 'Sledgehammer' as he is for his love of experimentation and worldbeat music. Given the latter, Gabriel's rendition of Vampire Weekend's Afro-beat jangler makes perfect sense. It's surprising, then, that his treatment of the track is less world music, more electronically woven soundscape, with backing from fellow Brits Hot Chip. Even more intriguingly, P.G. also has to deal with singing his own moniker -- will he pull it off, or will it just sound "unnatural"?

Peter Gabriel and Hot Chip, 'Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa'

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