In college I took a history class called “The Roots of Rock and Roll” taught by Scott Sandage. One of the major lessons was to stop using words like ‘authentic’ in the context of music. Does authenticity really have any meaning or intrinsic value when it comes to music? Is Nirvana’s cover of In the Pines any less authentic or valuable than Leadbelly’s? Artists have been covering and adding their own flair to songs for centuries. This is how music grows and evolves.
I think it would be fair to say that Umbrella by Rihanna has a pretty wide appeal. It features a guest spot by Jay-Z, a fun beat, and well… Rihanna covered in silver paint. Critics may harp on the jarring chorus - but people also still dig the Macarena. The point is, the song is great for the treadmill, twerkin at the club, and generally rocking out.
The problem? Mandy Moore decided that she had to cover it over at Yahoo Music. Have you watched this shit? Is she seriously using a house band? A guitar? Does she really have her eyes closed as she tries to emote so passionately into the mic? Why does she have the video on in the background? The whole thing looks like some crap taped in 1998 when RealPlayer was still a big deal and you could get 60 million in venture capital without a viable product.
Pay attention to the intro, Mandy doesn’t even seem that into the song. It’s her favorite song ‘of the moment’, and she’s ‘not a big Top 40 sort of listener’. Oh Mandy you forgetful lass, your first single Candy was top 40 music! You owe all your initial success to the pop charts. Way to turn one of my favorite summer jams into a pile of steaming crap Mandy.
My open appeal to Ms. Moore: Stick to funny TV cameos with your boyfriend of the minute and romantic comedies. The way your wrinkle your face when you say “You can’t deny how melodic this song is,” is too good for this silly attempt at a music career. Please Mandy, step away from the mic and back on screen.
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