Naturally we all got pretty excited this summer when Peter Gabriel announced plans to cover Vampire Weekend’s signature song “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa.” In part because PG hasn’t released much pop music in recent years (save for likely Oscar nom “Down To Earth“) and because VW had one of the most buzzed about albums this year, but mostly because Peter Gabriel’s name is in the damn song. Meta! On this cover, “Kwassa Kwassa”‘s squiggly riff and Congo beats are replaced with soft keys and electronic flourishes courtesy of the guys in Hot Chip. Peter’s got the yelp down, though. “It feels so unnatural. Peter Gabriel, too. And it feels so unnatural to sing your own name…”
Actually, it feels so natural Hot Chip have invited Peter to sing on their next album.
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Not bad – like it.
Pretty cool. But I don’t understand why they replaced the falsetto parts with baby seal noises.
I like the original better. Has Peter Gabriel run out of his own material?
Petey Gabe don’t hate me. But I hate this, it sounds like a bad amateur cover you’d find on youtube with some guy sitting recording this into his iMac
If he doesn’t hate you for not liking his song, he surely will for calling him “Petey Gabe”!
The Peter Gabriel the song evokes is better than the Peter Gabriel singing the song. Not that it can’t be done again Peter… St Paul’s “You’re the One” had me boppin’ around for a few weeks this past summer… It didn’t do much for me when it first came out. Wasn’t really paying attention.
Oh no, Hot Chip tax:
http://www.brooklynvegan.com/archives/2008/12/governor_paters.html
…yeah …really bad production. Hard for me to get through the whole track. Like Vapmire Weekend for the 40+ crowd.
…and the baby seals.
I wanted to like this before I pressed play
Vampire Weekend already is for the 40+, just neither of them realize it yet.
this song rules. i’m only 34. maybe you should listen to kanye instead
Esau Mwamwaya & Radioclit’s version squashes this one like a grape.
I wish there was more of this kind of thing. It doesn’t sound too serious or anything, so I like it.
It’s like Bowie playing with Arcade Fire – at least half of the fun is knowing David Bowie took the time to learn the lyrics of a band you like.
I love the “sing your own name” line, but the music on this is terrible. Sounds like a demo on a cheap Casio.
hahaha, wow. I agree entirely with Matt Morrell
This really makes me wonder what the Genesis version would sound like. Or maybe even Collins solo.
Oh, pull yourselves together. It’s a beautiful thing, made with joy and a sense of fun. And ‘Collins solo’ wouldn’t quite ring as a drop in line.
So where does one go to get this track? I’ve checked both iTunes and Amazon with no luck.
I heard this on SiriusXMU this weekend and have been looking for it ever since. For some reason it just hooked me, and I think it is just what Deasy said.
Cool stuff.. There’s a lot going on with that “casio-like” sound, more than some might think. THe production is actually quite interesting. I dig Peter Gabriel and know he has probably had a lot to say about the programming that went into this. Cool stuff, and Peter Gabriel singing his own tune is silly in a good way!.. Great to hear his voice…