The Best Cover Song You Will Hear This Week: Nico Vega Takes On "Young Turks"
If you grew up during the 80's and the Golden Age of the Music Video, then you know there is something inherently magical about hearing certain songs which received heavy rotation on MTV. The images can come flashing back into your mind after hearing only a few notes. It is because of this that covering songs of this particular window of music history can be even more treacherous than others, because you are not only reinterpreting a song, but contending with the indelible imagery associated with it. So what happens when Nico Vega takes on Rod Stewart's paen to teenage romance, "Young Turks"?
Magic is what happens. 5 minutes and 11 seconds of magic. Los Angeles-based Nico Vega doesn't mess around with the arrangement, but what they bring to the song in terms of production and tone is what makes this cover so good.
The guitar and synth wall of sound production reminds me of LA's The Airborne Toxic Event, and drives the song from the opening note through to the fade. Singer Aja Volkman updates Rod Stewart's vocals with panache and her subtle tweaks to the delivery enhance the song and make the performance her own. The addition of disco-era electronic drum sounds cement the song, giving it a unique color plus nodding knowingly and respectfully back at the era from which it originates.
The song succeeds not only on the sonic level but it allows one's mind to still evoke the images of E.G. Daily running off with "Billy", while young people dance about dodgier portions of Los Angeles in Russell Mulcahy's classic music video.
One can only hope this will see an official release in some form from Nico Vega, but for now enjoy it on their Sound Cloud page. While there, be sure to check out their great original songs as well!
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