Sidetracked

Artist: Common
Song: “Changes”

Quoting Sam Cooke from nearly a half-century ago, Common declares “A change is gonna come but now we are almost there” in his tribute to new President-elect Barack Obama. “Changes” works well because of Common’s optimistic flow and the clear influences from the inventor of
soul himself.

Grade:  B
By Wes Jakacki


Artist: Starfucker
Song: “Rawnald Gregory Erickson the Second”

Clean and crisp, Portland, Ore.’s own Starfucker brings to your ears a great groove through a bass-and-electric rhythm. They emphasize the guitars and arrangements and use the lyrics as background music, something not typically seen in today’s music. It all adds up to a weird vibe, but the song is enthralling.

Grade: B
By Alex Benson


Artist: Seal
Song: “A Change is Gonna Come”

Arguably one of the greatest songs ever written, Seal’s version of Sam Cooke’s classic commentary on racial issues has suddenly become more poignant with the election of Barack Obama. Seal is a great singer, but he can’t match the perfection of Cooke’s voice. This is a solid cover, but there’s no reason to listen to this version if you have Cooke’s.

Grade: B
By Paul Mattingly