I've got a few 'reinterpreting our own songs' albums, and I like them all to varying degrees.
Across Six Light Years was Tindersticks' 21st birthday present to themselves. They decided to hole up in Abbey Road and re-record a selection of tracks from across their back catalogue (plus a couple from Stuart Staples' solo records).
What was wrong with the original recordings isn't particularly clear, but there is a coherent richness and clarity peeping through the very familiar arrangements. The
original version of 'Sleepy Song' was recorded on a single mic, so
the re-recording here is noticeably fuller - if not necessarily as atmospheric.
The new version of
I Know That Loving probably benefits most, pulling off the Memphis Soul sound with more punch
than the original.
So you notice a re-phrased (or occasionally, flatter) vocal here, a smattering of extra keyboard there, but overall it must be one of the most subtle 'reimaginings' around.
The Ugly American is one of my favourite Mark Eitzel records, as it features beautiful reinterpretations of songs from his solo and American Music Club back catalogues, recorded in Greece featuring local musicians playing mostly traditional instruments. That sounds horrifically Sting-esque but it's subtly done, thankfully, and adds an iridescence to songs like 'Nightwatchman' that suffered from slightly flat production in their original releases.
'Western Sky' sounds incredible in virtually any of the
many versions he's put out over the years - it's that imperial a song - but
this incarnation is particularly gorgeous in its fullness and warmth. Same for the languid and yearning version of 'Last Harbour' which, sadly, isn't on youtube (neither is 'Nightwatchman').
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I also own
Bonny 'Prince' Billy Sings Greatest Palace Music, where he gave his old moniker's back catalogue the full Nashville treatment. But I've never actually heard the originals so can't comment on whether they're better or not.
A quick search for the
original and
re-recorded versions of 'Pushkin' shows they're certainly different, though.