Anticipation: I didn’t really know what to expect, but the compilation of tracks on this album had me curious from the start.
During: Okay, turns out I’ve seen some of Bradlee’s videos on YouTube before. I liked it then, and I like what I’m hearing now.
Reflection: Infusing some forgotten, recent and classic songs with jazz in such a well-done way is, in my opinion, a welcomed feat.
The work and brainchild of arranger and pianist, Scott Bradlee, Postmodern Jukebox takes songs you’ve heard before and transforms them into a completely different sound.
Most, if not all, of the covers on Scott Bradlee’s Postmodern Jukebox album, “Swing the Vote!” take on swing and jazz sounds in the coolest of ways. The album begins with Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl”, but in a way that makes you want to put on a top hat and go swing dancing.
Next up is Selena Gomez’s “Same Old Love”. I can’t say with good conscience that I’m a fan of either version of the song, but I will say that the version from this album gives the lyrics a much more mature sound (imagine that).
The songs only seem to get more bizarre from here, with Gwen Stefani’s “Hollaback Girl” following and Nickelback’s “Rockstar” bringing the album to a close — which I assume is a nod to all the Nickelback haters out there.
And while you’re thinking back to a time when Nickelback was at the peak of their awesomeness, I’ll ask you to recall another artist from that time: Avril Lavigne. The album takes on her “Sk8er Boi” in a way that is basically too odd not to appreciate.
While listening to it, I felt myself thinking, “This actually kind of sounds a lot like “Sweet Child O’ Mine,” and, oddly enough, guess what song follows … Yes, “Sweet Child O’ Mine.”
The album’s version features Casey Abrams, a really talented vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who was a contestant on the tenth season of “American Idol.”
Close your eyes while listening to Abrams sing this song, and, with a little imagination, it’s about the closest thing to being in New Orleans that you can get with an end of the semester college student budget.
Later on the album is Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance”, and with Gaga’s eclectic musical style, I think the song lends itself to the kind of added creativity that Bradlee brings to all of the songs on this album.
Similarly, Bruno Mars’ “Grenade” is another interesting track on the album. It’s a little more up-tempo, in most parts, than the original version, which gives it an interesting edge.
Von Smith, a YouTube star, who is featured twice on the album, takes on Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Call Me Maybe”, and it’s definitely a foot-tapper. The other song Smith tackles is Justin Timberlake’s “Cry Me A River”, and he does Justin justice.
If you can appreciate some bold and crazy arrangements of some well-known songs from yesteryears, this album is for you.
