“Imagine” by J. Zito

"Imagine" by J. Zito
"Imagine" by J. Zito

Artist: J. Zito

Song: Imagine

Genres: #alternativerock

Location: Detroit, United States

Release date: November, 2023

Comment: I’m going to be honest. When friend of T.A.M., J. Zito, told me that his new track was a cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine”, I didn’t think it was a great choice. Sure, it’s a sweet song with beautiful lyrics that are still sadly relevant, but it has been played and covered so many times already that I didn’t think the world needed another version of it. To put it bluntly, I was wrong. Zito, a consistent artisan of emotional expression through his music, managed to breathe new life into a song that many might argue has become lost in its own familiarity.

Describing his cover as “totally unnecessary yet needed,” J. Zito boldly asserts that the timeless message of “Imagine” is slipping through the cracks of contemporary consciousness. Departing from Lennon‘s delicate piano arrangement, Zito injects the track with a raw, visceral energy. Powerful guitars replace the spare keys, and anguished vocals convey frustration and discontent, mirroring a world that seems to have strayed far from the utopian vision of the 60s and 70s. The cover is not a mere musical homage but a call to action.

Accompanying the audacious sound is a music video that seamlessly weaves haunting imagery of modern conflict victims into a kaleidoscope of 60s-style psychedelia. This visual narrative serves as a stark reminder of the uncomfortable truth that we have drifted far from the path envisioned by Lennon. Feel free to check it out below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

“Tonight, Tonight” by Smallpools & Caroline Kole

"Tonight, Tonight" by Smallpools & Caroline Kole

Artist: Smallpools & Caroline Kole

Song: Tonight, Tonight

Genres: #indierock #indiepop

Location: L.A & Nashville, United States

Release date: April, 2023

Comment: If you like covers that are not exact replicas of the original song, you’re in for a treat.

“Tonight, Tonight” is a classic alternative rock song by The Smashing Pumpkins, released in 1996 as part of their double album “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness“. The song is an anthemic ode to hope and change, with lyrics that evoke a sense of urgency and possibility. It reminds us that we’re not alone, we’re not stuck, and we can make things happen.

Smallpools, featured here before for another outstanding cover they did, and Caroline Kole are two indie pop artists who have teamed up to deliver a fresh and fun cover of “Tonight, Tonight”. Smallpools is a Los Angeles-based band known for their catchy and upbeat songs such as “Dreaming” and “Million Bucks”. Caroline Kole is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter who has collaborated with artists such as Reba McEntire and Mr. Gwen Stefani Blake Shelton.

Their cover of Tonight, Tonight is a faithful homage to the original, but with a modern twist. They keep the same structure and melody of the song, but add their own flair with poppy synths, electric guitars, and harmonized vocals. They also strip down the song in an acoustic version that showcases their vocal talents and chemistry. Please enjoy “Tonight, Tonight” by Smallpools & Caroline Kole.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

Sylvan Esso – Funeral Singers

Sylvan Esso - Funeral Singers

Artist: Sylvan Esso

Song: Funeral Singers

Genres:  #folktronica

Location: North Carolina, United States

Release date: September, 2018.

Comment: One of my favorite tracks in Third Eye Blind’s new album, which we have discussed before, is Funeral Singers, which I thought was an original song until the band shared their influences for the new album on instagram and one of them was Sylvan Esso‘s Funeral Singers. It turns out that Sylvan Esso‘s version is also a cover, with the original being from experimental rock band Califone. Each version is different but if I had to pick just one, I think I’d choose Sylvan Esso‘s. There’s something about lead singer Amelia Meath‘s voice and the acoustic strums in the background that I find mesmerizing.

If, like me, you were not aware of Sylvan Esso before, I hope you enjoy this cover from 2018 (which features American musical ensemble Collections of Colonies of Bees) as much as I do.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

Arlo Parks – Creep

Arlo Parks - Creep

Arlo Parks, which is how Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho is professionally known, is a singer and poet from South London with a voice to die for. In a poll of music critics ran by the BBC, Sound of 2020, she was predicted as a breakthrough act for this year. We all know what has really happened in 2020 but Arlo is so talented that she might still prove those critics right even despite the circumstances.

Arlo cannot really be classified into a specific genre, as she could flirt with R&B and soul as easily as she could do the same with indie or bedroom pop; but the song being added today to our mixtapes is definitely indie. And yes, I know this legendary Radiohead song has been covered hundreds of times by plenty of talented artists, yet Arlo Parks‘ version is so breathtaking and unique that it feels like the first time listening to Creep. The truth is that nothing I could say here would make this stunning version any justice. Just judge by yourself, here:

Featured on the following mixtapes: