Sioux - Closer

     The second edition of Loud Noises' Under the Covers of Darkness week is winding down now, but I've still got a couple more cool covers to throw at your before it's back to our regularly scheduled programming. In fact, tonight's penultimate song (that's "next-to-last", for all you non-word dorks out there) might actually be one of the more adventurous takes all week.

     I'm sure you're all pretty familiar with Nine Inch Nails, and more specifically the album The Downward Spiral, and more specifically still the single "Closer". Dense industrial techno-rock with a driving beat and layers of synths and guitars, "Closer" is a song you're probably so familiar with that you could sing me the whole thing right now.

      But take that familiar core, run it through a sludgy fuzz filter, and you have tonight's cover version by Portland's Sioux. It's like a grungy, drony, stoner rock band just jamming out on the fundamental elements of the Nails original. For that reason, it's also the kind of cover that can stand on its own alongside an original rather than having to draft in the wake of an original. Whether or not you like Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" (although, how could you not, really?), you should check out Sioux's "Closer" -- it's a whole other animal.

Sunday: Nine Inch Nails - Piggy

     Almost caught up on the catching up, and as promised your finale this evening is a Nine Inch Nails classic to celebrate the nostalgiarific Nails/Soundgarden tour stop in Toronto tonight. This one's for you, Mike. Wish I could be there.

     My first real introduction to Nine Inch Nails (other than maybe hearing "Head Like a Hole" or something else from Pretty Hate Machine) was the classic The Downward Spiral in high school, and one of the songs that always really stuck with me was "Piggy". I don't know if it's just because it's one of the first tracks on the album and thus got into my brain early, but any way you slice it to this day "Piggy" is still one of my favourites. Maybe they'll play it tonight? Fingers crossed.

The Song of Thor's Day: Nine Inch Nails - Closer

     So I forgot to hit "publish" on this bad boy last night before bed. Like you've never forgotten anything...