COBRA VERDE
Copycat Killers (Scat)
Reviewed by John Sekerka

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Everyone loves covers albums, it's true. Here's a good one. Why Cobra Verde, owners of an impeccable reputation, would risk ridicule with such a formulaic venture is anyone's guess, though a bit of fun is always a welcome diversion in the all too serious music biz. The guitar driven pop folk versions of dance floor classics "Temptation" and "I Feel Love" will surely irk many, but that is probably the point. Besides, these takes are not only fresh, but damn entertaining. Cobra Verde flex their chameleon muscles, shifting styles effortlessly as they dissect music by The Fall, Hawkwind and Pink, revamping some tired tunes to good effect. It's not all rosy in this bush, as prickly versions of the Undertones "Teenage Kicks" and Leonard Cohen's "So Long Marianne" add nothing to the originals. Still those tepid moments can be forgiven in the wake of such brilliant strokes as the seething psychedelic version of the Stones' "Play With Fire."

© 2005 - John Sekerka